Freshmen elect new Class Board officers

The Freshman Class Boards elections are over and College freshman David Forlander has emerged as the victor. Run-offs for every position, except for class secretary, were held on Locust Walk yesterday in front of Steinberg-Dietrich Hall. College freshmen Brett Lasker, Melissa Fein, Meredith Peters and Wharton freshman Ryan Anderson won the positions of vice president, treasurer, secretary, and vice president of corporate sponsorship respectively. Despite poor weather conditions, the primary elections held last Thursday and Friday went smoothly, according to Sophomore Class President Neil Sheth. University President Judith Rodin's inauguration also interrupted the polling, since most of the onlookers' attention was focused on Rodin's procession as it traveled down Locust Walk on the second day of elections, he added. "I think it ran well considering the circumstances and considering the weather," the Engineering sophomore said. Forlander said the location of the polling could have been better placed, but added that he was happy with the results of the election. While the elections ran smoothly, one grievance was filed before the runoffs by candidate College freshman Renee Chang against College freshman Maja Fliwinski. Both were running for the position of freshman class president. Chang accused Fliwinski of violating the Elections Code rule that prohibits candidates from hanging their flyers less than five feet apart, Sheth said. Apparently, Fliwinski had spelled her campaign slogan out letter by letter on individual 14"x17" posters on the windows above Hill House's dining hall. When Sheth, who is elections chairperson, measured the distance between each flyer personally, he said they were placed correctly and that no rule was broken. Forlander said his main goal is to create unity among freshmen. "I see my role as providing a break for the freshman class and creating unity by throwing barbecues or having class ski trips," Forlander said. "That's my philosophy." The winners for the four school representatives are: College freshmen Adam Eisner and Elliot Geller, Wharton freshman Alex Faerman, Engineering freshman Nicole Miller and Nursing freshman Anjana Ali. Twenty percent of freshmen voted this year, down 10 percent from last year.