By Amanda Alfanos, Web Editor
John Riesenberg, Student Government Association president; Justin Dametz, SGA vice president, and Leah Diaz, vice president for Student Activities Council, are inaugurated in Spring 2010 in Great Glass Atrium in the Wanda L. Bass Music Center.
March 7 was the deadline for students to apply for positions as official representative voices for the student body. Students had until 5 p.m. to file for candidacy in the Student Government Association Office in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. Filing began Feb. 24.
About 30 seats are up for election including the executive positions of SGA president, president of Student Senate and president of Student Activities Council. Elections will be March 29 and 30.
Two candidates filed for president. Emma Velez, political science/philosophy sophomore, and Jeff Poulin, entertainment business junior, are the candidates.
Arianna Harmon, religion/philosophy sophomore, removed herself from the race Tuesday, March 8. She said it was due in part that she is soon to be married to Justin DaMetz, current president of Senate. Read more here.
Sarah Cook, not-for-profit sophomore, and Justin Blumer, first-year law and business graduate, filed for the position of vice president of SGA/president of Student Senate. The seat only is open to those who have served at least one semester on Senate, according to the official candidate application. Cook currently serves as Greek senator and president pro-tempore for the body. Blumer is law senator.
Marcus Sams, mass communications junior, is the lone contender for the vice president for Student Activities/president of SAC position.
Only one legislative seat is contested. Three students are vying for the sophomore at-large seat: Clayton Puckett, university studies freshman; Nathan Dunn, youth ministry freshman, and Madi Alexander, political science freshman.
Executive branch members must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA as undergraduates. Candidates also are required to be full-time students, not be on university probation and be in good standing with OCU, according to the SGA constitution.
Requirements for those vying for legislative positions include having at least a cumulative 2.75 GPA as undergraduate students. Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and law students are required to have at least a 2.0 GPA to file for a Senate seat, the constitution states.
Judicial branch positions for Student Court include one chief justice and four associate justices. Students are required to maintain a cumulative 2.75 undergraduate GPA, a 3.0 graduate GPA or a 2.5 law GPA, according to the constitution.
To file for a position, visit the SGA office in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center and fill out an application.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH CANDIDATES:
Presidential candidate:
Emma Velez
Presidential candidate:
Jeff Poulin
Vice president/president of Senate candidate:
Sarah Cook
Vice president/president of Senate candidate:
Justin Blumer
Vice president for Student Activities/president of SAC candidate:
Marcus Sams
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH CANDIDATES:
Religion: Jonathan Clour, religion sophomore
Music: Preston Isham, music theater junior
Business: Sadie Kaserman, business junior
Science/mathematics: Phillip Nguyen, cell/molecular biology junior
Nursing: Amy Sheenstra, nursing sophomore
Dance/arts management: Jack Malone, entertainment business junior
Social Sciences: Robin Ladd, political science/philosophy sophomore
Humanities: Caleb Howard, mass communications freshman
Greek: Katie Alsup, history of political science/social science education sophomore
Theater: Ciera Terry, theater design/production junior
Grad/law at-large: Jake Luria, second-year law/graduate
International: Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan, biomedical science senior
Athletics: Patrick Hylton, university studies freshman
Sophomore at-large (two seats available):
– Clayton Puckett, university studies freshman
– Nathan Dunn, youth ministry freshman
– Madi Alexander, political science freshman
Junior at-large (two seats available):
– Nicholas Bonfiglio, economics sophomore
– Haliey Blanton, early childhood education sophomore
Senior at-large (two seats available):
– Anthony England, accounting junior
– Erica Olavarria, mathematics junior
Law (two seats available):
– Tyler Johnson, second-year law
Check back to MediaOCU for more up-to-date information.
[…] Contested positions include SGA president, president of Senate/vice president of SGA, and the sophomore at-large Student Senate Seat. See a full list of candidates here. […]