Over 1,000 votes were cast as students elected six new Student Governance Council members at STLCC-Meramec Sept. 27-28.
By: Kurt Oberreither
– News Editor –
Over 1,000 votes were cast as students elected six new Student Governance Council members to hear and represent their voice at STLCC-Meramec Tuesday, Sept. 27 and Wednesday, Sept. 28.
Wayne Scott, Jr., Jennifer Lampkins, Ava Altman, Adam Otzenberger, Khalid Bashir and Nick Rousseau were elected as Student Governance Council (SGC) representatives at large for the 2011-2012 school year. There were eleven candidates – the most the organization has had in over two years.
“This is exciting,” Mark Wilson, SGC president, said. “It will be nice to have more helping hands.”
The newly-appointed representatives are responsible for representing the entire student body at SGC functions.
Polls were open from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days in the Lecture Hall and Communications North. Representative at large candidates greeted and spoke with students in the Student Center quad during polling hours.
Usher Ruth Luzecky, who operated the polling station in the Lecture Hall, said the representatives worked to serve Meramec’s students last year when there was concern with safety because of overgrown tree limbs covering street lights in the parking lot. The representatives at large expressed this at an SGC meeting, and maintenance trimmed the branches.
Luzecky said the voter turnout was higher on the second day of voting than the first.
Scott, 30, received the most votes. He said he campaigned for a “few weeks” before the election but learned of the election dates the Friday before on Sept. 23.
Scott said it is important that the campaign is promoted so more students can get to know about the candidates and their responsibilities.
“I want students to know that there is a way to make their voice heard,” Scott said.
Students can attend SGC meetings held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. and meet their representatives.
“As much as I appreciate being able to come to school, I want to be able to do anything I can to get other students involved – get them encouraged to complete their degrees,” Scott said.
Also, Scott said he created a Facebook page so students can post on his wall or send him a message.
No elections were held last year because there were not enough candidates willing to run, said Mike Roman, 2010-2011 public relations officer.
There must be at least six.
Roman, who also served as SGC president in the spring of 2011, said the higher number of participants was “a product of getting people involved” in the past year and a half.
Scott said if he could propose an improvement to the elections in the years ahead, he would have the voting days and candidates better promoted.
“Everything has a few hiccups,” Roman said. “This is all a learning experience. I think SGC is an organization that is doing good things for students.”
Furthermore, Amy Snyder, John Heaney, Lillie Reed, Sheena Lewis and Jeromy Gully were elected as representative at large alternates.
Alternates are required to attend all SGC meetings and work on projects and committees but are not allowed to vote.
