Wharton sophomore John Casey won a special election to fill a vacant Wharton representative seat on the Undergraduate Assembly, the Nominations and Elections Committee announced Jan. 30.
Casey was elected with 61 votes, ahead of runner-up Wharton sophomore Chris Cherian, who received 47 votes. Casey will fill the seat that was vacated after Wharton senior Nile Nwogu resigned at the end of last semester.
Prior to his election, Casey served as an associate member of the UA, an unelected position that does not have voting privileges. He will now serve as one of four Wharton representatives on the UA until the entire board is up for election later this spring. Now as a full member, Casey is eager to continue his work with the assembly in a more influential capacity.
Casey said his goals are guided by his new position as a representative of the Wharton student body. He cited club recruitment reform, increasing mental health services, and exploring the impact of Huntsman Hall's new reduced hours as the major issues he hopes to tackle throughout his tenure.
Out of these, Casey said club recruitment reform is his "number one priority,” an issue he worked on as an associate member of the UA. He has met with Penn Labs in hopes of creating a cohesive online resource with information about all clubs on campus to ease the overwhelming recruitment process.
Casey also aims to push back against the policy that limits the Huntsman Hall Counseling and Psychological Services clinician specifically for use by Wharton students. He hopes to reach out to CAPS and see how this "embedded model" can be expanded for all students.
“Because we are a college of four schools, services shouldn’t be limited to one specific school, especially when it comes to mental health which is so far-reaching,” Casey said.
Casey also hopes to examine how Huntsman's new, reduced hours affect students. After a semester in his new role, he said he wants to take action based on the student feedback he receives.
“I think the biggest issue Penn students face is the sense of belonging,” he said. “Once I’m here, am I embedded enough that I can call this home?”
Casey said these goals motivated him to serve on the UA’s Student and Campus Life Committee as an associate member. By focusing on major issues that concern his constituents, Casey said he will be able to improve student life.
“Now this is so much more than just what John Casey thinks what is wrong with Penn,” he said. “It’s what the kids in my Wharton classes think is the problem with Penn.”
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate