UA election results to be tallied today

and Shannon Burke Results of the 1996-97 Undergraduate Assembly elections, which concluded yesterday evening, will be released today. Twenty-one students from the College of Arts and Sciences ran for 15 spots on the UA. Five students competed for the four Wharton seats, and five students from the School of Engineering and Applied Science also vied for four positions. One Nursing student ran uncontested for the Nursing seat. Students also voted for University Council representatives and on the three referenda on the ballot. But students were confused as to the exact details and functions of the three proposals. "I don't really know exactly what each proposal does and what the purposes are," College freshman Xenia Lok explained. Referendum A would replace the UA with the Student Committee on Undergraduate Life. SCUL would consist of fewer elected representatives and would include members of various student groups. Some felt this plan was too complicated. "Referendum A seems a bit too complex and bureaucratic," Lok said. Referendum B would replace the UA with a president and vice president, who would also get seats on University Council. "I don't like Referendum B because it gives too much power to too few people," College freshman Katie Zapata said. "When there is a large group trying to make decisions, there is more of a chance for everybody to be heard," she explained. "But with a smaller size, it is easy to keep different groups out." The results of the election will be announced at tonight's Fair Practices Code hearing. Also at the meeting, students charged with violations of election rules will be able to plead their cases. Yesterday evening between 6 and 8 p.m., students had the opportunity to press charges against the candidates for violating the rules of the NEC Fair Practices Code. The NEC charged both Engineering freshman Michael Bressler and College freshman Spencer Sloan. Bressler was charged for failing to turn in his spending form, while Sloan was charged for handing it in late. College sophomore Josh Rockoff charged fellow candidate College freshman Olivia Troye with violating rules concerning vandalism. According to NEC members, there was an unusually high voter turnout at this week's elections. College sophomore Evan Fleck attributed this to Connaissance rules requiring students to vote in order to get raffle tickets to see Billy Joel, who is coming to campus next month. Wharton freshman Neha Champaneria, who was working at the Hill College House polling spot, said she agreed. "There has been a really good turnout because of the Billy Joel tickets being linked to the elections," she said. Lok also said that she thought more people would vote because it was the only way they could be eligible for Billy Joel tickets. "The raffle is a good marketing device," she said. "I'm sure a lot of people are voting just because they want to get tickets."