Selak and Chan begin moving in

By Liz Weeker

With hopes of promoting campus unity, Annie Selak and Amy Chan became the new Associated Student president and vice president after winning last week's student election with 55 percent of the vote.

In the days leading up to the election, junior Selak and sophomore Chan campaigned as many Santa Clara groups as possible, sororities and fraternities included.

"We made a conscious effort to contact all of them," Selak said. "That way we could know who we're representing."

The night before election day, the girls faced their opponents Andrea Barrack and Andy Benton, both juniors, in a student debate held in the Market Square last Tuesday evening.

The girls were unsure how the debate would affect the elections.

"It was hard to tell from the debate because you don't know what people are looking for, whether they're looking for a leader who is very diplomatic or one who says it how it is," Selak said.

Both were disappointed with the overall tone of the debate.

"I didn't expect it to be as heated," Chan said. "I felt that the students who were there already knew what side they were going to vote for."

Despite such worries, Selak and Chan felt that they remained true to their platform, one that included unity on campus, coordinating an online campus calendar, improving neighborhood relations and expanding the mobile AS desk.

With so much to accomplish, Selak understands they have a lot of work ahead of them.

"Of course we don't plan to solve every problem, but really just make sure that students are informed," Selak said.

Because there were no candidates for 19 positions in last week's election, the girls will spend the next few weeks reading through applications and appointing officers.

Selak and Chan will replace the current AS President and Vice President Taylor McClure and Nathan Iglesias to continue to work on improving student government even though they are seniors.

They are in the process of restructuring the AS constitution, changing names, redefining job descriptions and creating new positions.

"It's kind of like it's your baby after a while and you want it to succeed and do well," McClure said. "I want to see student government become something desirable to be on this campus."

Desire to become involved in student government may be something Santa Clara students lack, considering 13 candidates ran unopposed last week and there are still 19 remaining vacancies in AS.

"The 13 spots unopposed? It's ridiculous," McClure said.

Iglesias and McClure have worked all year to get more students involved.

They helped to create the red mobile AS desk and make it accessible around Benson.

The desk even has a sound system thanks to Iglesias, who had originally purchased the speakers for his car.

They also worked to improve relations between AS and administration.

This year they implemented a new buddy system in the student government. Everyone from AS President to freshman class senator is paired up with an administrator.

"I'm sad to see it go," McClure said. "Then again I'm glad who's taking over. I really know they'll do a good job."

ûContact Liz Weeker at (408) 554-4546 or eweeker@scu.edu.