By Delia Paunescu
On Thursday, April 23, the University’s student body elected Sean Hutchinson and Akeem Mellis as president and vice-president of the Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2009-2010 academic year. The announcement came at the end of a three week campaign, which began after the first SGA debate on April 1.
Along with those positions, students also voted for SGA senators and on referenda for the University. This election yielded the highest voter turnout in University history.
“For me, that was the best part,” said Chair of the Elections Commission Kayleigh Tompkins, a senior political science and sociology major. She added that despite the “many bumps in the road,” she thinks “the students were extremely involved this year.”
Former President Peter DiSilvio, a senior political science and business management major who was also the Hutchinson-Mellis campaign manager, called the win “a great accomplishment.” “I think it speaks toward students wanting some real change from people who aren’t part of the SGA inner circle,” he said.
Brent Weitzberg, a junior political science major who ran against Hutchinson for the presidential seat agreed saying, “We got a record amount of people to come out and vote, which is amazing to see.” He added, “At least people were united and seemed to care about voting and who they wanted their representatives within SGA [to be].”
Ultimately, the election came down to 33 votes with the Hutchinson-Mellis ticket receiving 1,118 votes and the Weitzberg-Berry ticket receiving 1,085.
Mellis, a junior print journalism and political science major, said that the voting turnout indicated that students are interested in aid from student government. He added, “They demand that they are represented in the best way possible.”
That representation extends to clubs and organizations, which next year’s SGA governs directly. “Our idea is to have clubs work together to get a broader understanding of the needs of students,” Hutchinson, a junior marketing major, said. His goal is to get as much student feedback as possible, in hopes of knowing how to go about providing what students want most from their governing body.
As their first order of business, the new administration plans to implement a “New SGA” campaign. “It’s our time to get out there and show our ideas,” Hutchinson said. He insisted that SGA is “different” and plans to continue stressing this distinction between himself and presidents past with atrium tables, fliers and by forming club partnerships.
Of the partnership between himself and his running-mate Hutchinson says, “It’s an ideal mixture because we have a balance.” While he admitted himself to be liberal in his desire to help all clubs, the new president admired Mellis’ practicality.
“Akeem is someone who wants to make sure that everyone is equally represented,” Hutchinson said. “He really cares a lot about clubs.”
Having served two years as SGA president, not consecutive, DiSilvio said, “I have enjoyed my time but, now that its coming to a close, I don’t think it could have come to a better end.”
“We can work together,” said Weitzberg, regarding a future with Hutchinson and Mellis. A former SGA president himself, he moves into his senior year as fundraising chair. “They’re both very nice guys and I look forward to seeing what they want to do for the school,” he said.