NEC disqualifies 10 UA candidates

A record 33 percent of students elected 16 Greeks out of the 23 Undergraduate Assembly slots. While the majority of the campus raged at last night's downtown parties, potential candidates for student government were consumed by far more worthy pursuits -- throwing Starburst candy and consuming alcohol. In between the drinking and reveling, nine of 12 Undergraduate Assembly incumbents were re-elected, while at least 16 of the 23 total seats went to Greek candidates. The elections saw the highest turnout in several years --Eat least 33 percent, according to Nominations and Elections Committee officials. Candidates and other student leaders amused themselves with various activities as the NEC deliberated for more than four hours over charges of election-rules violations before announcing the results of the two-day election. However, as Thursday turned to Friday, a large number of candidates, exasperated with the long wait, began to while away the time with a bottle of Jack Daniel's and several cans of beer. As the group steadily became more inebriated, they gathered around the door to the room where the NEC was deliberating and began to call for Mike Brody -- the committee's vice chairperson for elections. The candidates then piled up chairs against the door while chanting "Brody, Brody!" NEC Chairperson Chris LaVigne opened the door immediately and reprimanded the candidates by yelling, "Do you think we want to be here for five hours?" The meeting, which culminates in the announcement of election results, is held every year following elections to decide on the validity of alleged violations of the Fair Practices Code brought before the NEC. According to the code, any undergraduate student, including NEC members, may file a complaint of an alleged violation of the FPC. The charges may be brought against a candidate, the NEC or any other individual believed to have biased the elections. This year, the NEC charged 19 candidates for failure to turn in spending forms on time. According to the newly updated FPC -- the document governing elections -- such a violation "shall be grounds for disqualification." The FPC states that candidates must submit their spending forms to the NEC office within an hour of the closing of polls on the final day of elections. Each of these candidates was allotted one minute in which to plead their case before the NEC. Candidates not present at the hearing were permitted to send someone to speak on their behalf, although several chose not to do so. Candidates offered several common explanations for failing to turn in spending forms, such as deaths in the family and other commitments including exams. Several candidates also offered explanations that they were unsure when the forms were due or had never run before. And College freshman Ray Valerio -- a candidate for sophomore class president -- charged College freshman and current President Cam Winton for violations of the FPC poster policy. Valerio alleged that by his placement of fliers on benches, trash cans and illegal boards, Winton was in violation of the University poster policy. Winton, however, defended himself by noting that the FPC only "urges" candidates to comply with the University's poster policy, and thus a violation is not grounds for disqualification. When the NEC members finally emerged from deliberations at around 1 a.m. this morning, they were welcomed by a burst of applause. But the relief of many soon turned to dismay, as they learned they had been disqualified for neglecting to turn in their spending forms on time. Of the 13 total candidates charged with the violation, eight were disqualified: College freshman Vanessa Freeman; sophomores Marc Simon, Rahman D'Argenio and Troy Madres; juniors William Byrnes and Sean Ward; and Engineering sophomore Joshua McGrath and junior Hadley Harris. LaVigne attributed the large number of disqualifications this year to the more explicit FPC. The NEC also decided not to uphold Valerio's charges for the alleged poster-policy violation and did not disqualify Winton. Of the 25 UA candidates for seats in the College who were not disqualified, 14 were elected to the body as College representatives. College junior and current UA Vice-chairperson Samara Barend, a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist, was re-elected, as was fellow executive board member and College sophomore Bill Conway, the assembly's current treasurer. Also re-elected to College seats were freshmen Michael Bassik, Jonathan Glick, Allison Hersch and Melanie Liebner and junior Jeremy Katz. New to the assembly will be freshmen Seth Sherman, Lisa Lerer and Roby Yadegar; sophomore Mike Silver; and juniors Scott Hoffman and Alexander Tisch. Five of the 10 Wharton candidates were awarded seats on the UA, freshman Rishi Bajaj being the only incumbent. Newcomers including freshman Aaron Karo, sophomore Ryan Robinson and juniors Brett Klein and Dan Sundheim will also join the assembly. Of the six Engineering candidates remaining after the disqualifications, three were elected to the UA: junior Edward Calvesbert, freshman incumbent Theo LeCompte and freshman Malhar Saraiya. And Nursing sophomore Keri Hyde, who ran unopposed, was named the Nursing representative. The top vote-getters in each race were also awarded seats on University Council. Barend will be the College's UC rep, Klein for Wharton, Saraiya for Engineering and Hyde for Nursing. Brody said he was very pleased with the outcome of the elections, despite the long deliberation.