David Haseltine
SSDP Board Application
The Basics
School: University of Connecticut
Email: david.haseltine@gmail.com
Major(s) / Minor(s) / Areas of study: Political Science
Current year in school: Senior
Expected graduation year: 2012
What are your tentative plans after college?:
To seek employment in a civic advocacy organization whose focus is an issue or set of issues that I am passionate about.
Leadership Experience
Describe your advocacy skills and experience. Include work outside of SSDP.
I have served for the past three and a half years on the Operations Board of 91.7 WHUS-FM, the University of Connecticut’s award-winng student and community radio station. In that time I was elected to fill the vacancy of Production Director, I was elected to 2 consecutive one-year terms as the Public Affair Director, and I am currently serving my first term as Promotions Director. In these roles, I have led and participated in organizational decision-making, event planning, fundraising, staff management, programming, and other activities.
I am also serving my first term as the President of the UConn Chapter of SSDP. I manage my schedule effectively because I an efficient organizer with well-developed time management skills.
SSDP Chapter Experience
What formal positions have you held in your SSDP chapter? When?
I have been president of the UConn Chapter since May 2011.
Describe your leadership style, particularly within your chapter.
I believe that the function of leadership is to create more leaders. To that end, I make the obligatory bureaucratic side of the position my responsibility while delegating responsibilities of coordination and development within the chapter to other officers and chapter members. I oversee all that we do, but I grant officers and chapter members a good deal of autonomy in creating and executing projects, events, etc. This leadership style ensures that our chapter will never suffer an absence of leadership as empowered newer members will be well positioned to step in to replace leaders who graduate.
Describe one project that you led or are leading. What was/is your role? What has this project accomplished?
During the final months of the Connecticut legislative session, I managed SSDP’s legislative action in support of three bills: One to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, another to legalize medical marijuana, and a third to prevent the prosecution of individuals who call emergency services when they or a friend or family member are suffering from a drug overdose (aka good Samaritan law). My role included leading and organizing phone-banking and letter-writing campaigns, direct lobbying of elected officials, coordination with other advocacy organizations, media relations and others. Our efforts led to the successful passage of the decriminalization and “good Samaritan” bills.
What fundraising or revenue building experience have you had in the past?
As a member of the WHUS Board of Operations, I have assisted in fundraising directly from listeners as well as identifying and securing new sources of revenue such as underwriting from community organizations and rental fees from wireless service providers.
The Board
Why do you want to serve on the SSDP board?
I want to serve on the board because it would be an excellent opportunity for me to use my skills to expand and empower SSDP. Furthermore, I want to serve because I feel my leadership experience and passion for drug policy reform makes me an ideal candidate. A wonderful organization like SSDP deserves board members who are experienced, knowledgeable, and deeply committed to their responsibilities. And I’m certain that I can deliver exactly those qualities.
What do you believe are the board's most important functions?
The most important aspect of the Board’s work is to craft and implement a successful strategy aimed at reforming drug policies and laws on the University, State, and national levels. In addition Board members should assist SSDP’s directors with their duties in organizing regional and national conferences when possible.
What are your goals for your board tenure (be as specific as possible)?
I would like to increase the number of high school SSDP chapters, as well as increase our outreach to harm reduction organizations in order to strengthen SSDP’s community presence in the community.
If elected to the board, would you retain a leading role and/or formal position with your chapter?
It has been my plan to resign from my position as President of our Chapter at the end of the current semester. Whether I am elected or not, I will not retain a formal position in our chapter. However, I do intend to remain an active member of our chapter.
