Author: Soo Jin Kim
Michael Clegg (junior) was announced Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC) President last Friday following the annual ASOC elections. Fourteen other students also won different ASOC offices including General Assembly Chairs, Honor Board Jurors, Campus-Wide Senators and Class Senators. The results of the elections were made public through an announcement during lunch time and through an email by the current ASOC President, Aliza Goldsmith (junior). Voting began last Wednesday at midnight.
A total of 20 students ran for Senate, General Assembly and Honor Board Juror. A total of 770 students voted, which is over 25 percent of the student population but less than the 900 votes that the Senate hoped to reach.
“There were some close races,” said Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Life Tamara Rice. “I highly encourage those who were not elected to remain involved.”
To encourage fair competition during campaign week, the ASOC provided rules for all election candidates to follow. This includes the rule that a candidate “may not coerce others for votes, bribe others for votes, or force others to vote,” and “may not actively solicit votes,” according to the ASOC Election Guidelines 2011.
There had been misdemeanors in the past, such as candidates pulling down other candidates’ posters, so the ASOC wanted to avoid these problems this year.
“We want a clean campaign, so there shouldn’t be any mud-slinging campaigns where they are degrading their opponents,” Rice said. “Just focus on you and your strengths and don’t worry about your opposing candidates.”
Candidates hung posters, chalked the Quad, held meet-and-greet sessions, created Facebook groups and distributed fliers to the school campus as part of their campaigns.
“My posters had collages of a few pictures of mine and talked about my experiences and why I want to be President,” Clegg said.
This year’s election was more exciting than the previous few years because of a significant jump in student participation. This year, more students ran for office than in recent years, according to Rice.
“I always like when we have a race for positions,” Rice said. “I’m not a big fan of people running unopposed because I feel like this is a chance for students to be involved and there is no reason for students to run unopposed.”
Goldsmith also held an optimistic attitude about this year’s elections.
“Although I wish we had more people running, this election was more visible than many in past years and I think stirred up more conversation,” Goldsmith said. “Also, this election was very close, which I believe is a testament to how wonderful the candidates are.”
Students also voted on three constitutional amendments in the election, all of which the Senate drafted. This year’s election presented constitutional amendments to be voted on as well, which were proposed by the Senate.
“I like that the Senate actively looks at their Constitution to see where we can improve ourselves and be better,” Rice said. “I always think it’s an exciting time during elections when everyone wants to know who’s their new president or not, so it’s kind of cool and exciting.”
The newly elected officers have many goals for their tenure in office.
“Being in a position of student leadership gives you the avenue to really make changes that the school really needs or what students wants,” current Junior Class Senator and future Senior Class Senator Jennefer Canales (junior) said. “It gives me the voice to be able to raise concern and the tool to access faculty members and other administration.”
Canales’ goals include enhancing Occidental’s image as a multi-cultural campus and getting students more involved in the school.
“There is a lot of work to be done just to get issues like race out there on the table and make students aware that certain things like racism and white privilege do exist,” Canales said. “We are students and we have 110 things to do, but there are GA meetings that students can go to raise their voice and concern, but they just don’t go and have the audacity to complain.”
As the new ASOC President, Clegg said that he would like to see more interaction between the government and the student population to make Occidental a better place for students.
“At the beginning of next year, I want to send out a survey asking students their major concerns about Oxy and spend a good amount of time addressing their main concerns,” Clegg said. “Secondly, I want to make sure that the students are having a good time here.”
He believes that his passion to improve the school will help him be a good leader for the student population.
“It’s an honor and a humbling experience,” Clegg said. “I understand that it’s a great responsibility to be a ASOC president… I don’t take the responsibility lightly, and I appreciate the students that have shown enough confidence in me to represent their interests as well.”
The new Senate will be undertaking a two-day Senate training at the beginning of the school year after the fall elections for the new first-year class Senators. “We also just really try to get to know each other – what makes us tick,” Rice said.
Next year’s officers are are looking forward to their new responsibilities in the following year.
“I really hope that students will hold me accountable next year and know that I always a resource for them on campus,” Clegg said. “To make Oxy a better Oxy, we all have to work together.”
sition, they are often invited to sptheir class in particular and bring it to the Senate and administrator’s ADMINISTRATION? attention. They are the liaison for their class year.
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