In 1992, the Undergraduate Assembly had a “problem attracting a large field of candidates” to fill its ballot slots, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported.
Only three candidates were announced for the five available Wharton School seats on the Undergraduate Assembly, compared to this year’s eight students who are running. The low number of candidates was a result of poor timing of the Nominations and Elections Committee, which made petitions for candidacy available the day after Spring Break, according to then-UA Chairman Mitch Winston.
UA Steering member at the time You-Lee Kim accused insufficient publicity but couldn’t place blame for the “glitch” on any specific person or group.
NEC Public Relations Officer Michael Monson felt that there was student apathy toward elections.
These accusations were contested by College junior Brownrout, who dismissed any claims that lack of student candidates had “anything to do with publicity or apathy.”
However, two areas which traditionally had few candidates saw an increase in interest that year. The Nursing School had three candidates for just one UA seat compared to in 1991, when there was no student running for the seat.
Now in 2011, as student government elections are underway, 37 undergraduates are running for 33 UA seats.
