The general assembly and the Finance Board held elections to fill open positions at Monday’s Student Association meeting, held at 7:30 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium.

Lucia Ha, a sophomore mathematics major, and Alex Feigenbaum, a senior international relations major, ran for positions on the Finance Board. After extended debate concerning both candidates’ ability to be effective members of the board, Ha was elected and Feigenbaum was not.

PJ Alampi, Board of Elections and Membership chair, interviewed both candidates before the meeting and before the election. He said Feigenbaum was uninformed when it came to provisions about the board. He said Ha was also uninformed but had more knowledge about the provisions than Feigenbaum.

‘I didn’t think either candidate was really qualified at this point to be elected,’ said Jeff Rickert, SA comptroller and head of the Finance Board, after the meeting.

Rickert said he believed the candidates had ample time to prepare themselves on what the duties of the Finance Board are prior to questioning by the assembly. While some questions were answered sufficiently by the candidates, others were answered ‘well below par,’ he said.

The Finance Board, which now has four members with the election of Ha, has six more available positions. Rickert said that although SA is pushing to fill every open seat in the assembly, this is not a goal for the board.

‘I am more concerned with getting a rounded viewpoint and more diversified opinions, that is more important than just having 10 bodies,’ Rickert said.

Rickert also said he hopes to see Feigenbaum run again because, as a senior, Feigenbaum could provide a viewpoint that is not currently on the board.

For the general assembly, four candidates ran for positions and were all elected. Gregory Harts, a junior engineering major, filled the sixth of seven positions for the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science. ‘I know engineers are underrepresented,’ Harts said.

Daniela Lopez, a freshman in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, was elected as the school’s second representative. Feigenbaum, although denied a position on the Finance Board, was elected to the general assembly to represent the College of Arts and Sciences.

Bonnie Kong, Academic Affairs Committee chair, said that Feigenbaum’s election was significant because of his senior standing, as SA is currently underclassmen-heavy.

Freshman Daniel Benson was also elected to represent Arts and Sciences.

Other business discussed:

• Before the elections of the general assembly, SA president Neal Casey reminded the representatives of his recruitment push and urged each member to attempt to recruit at least one person. He suggested a one-on-one approach.

• Dylan Lustig, vice chair of the Student Engagement Committee, presented the committee’s plans for more focused town hall meetings in the residence halls, with specific committee members being in charge of each hall. Lustig also said the SA bulletin boards in each residence hall need to be maintained and updated, and the recognized student organizations recognition program will also continue to be implemented.

rebarill@syr.edu

Published on September 19, 2011 at 12:00 pm