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Alison Kostelich speaks during last Wednesday night's student government meeting in the Tuscola/Arcola room. (File Photo/Daily Eastern News)

Student officials prepare for re-elections

By: Rick Kambic/Student Government Reporter

Posted: 3/4/08

The possibility of one person running for election to every student government position on the ballot may be explored this April.

Student senator Eric Hiltner investigated that option during Monday night's student government election informational meeting.

"I'm going to look into this, but I think I will run for all positions," Hiltner said after the meeting. "I'm hoping this will be an exercise in futility and someone will come up with a deep, dark bylaw to stop me."

Hiltner asked Secretary Ashlei Birch if someone could run for all positions. She told him yes, but he would need to have five different petitions submitted with 100 signatures on each petition. She also said students can sign more than one petition.

Hiltner would be running for student body president, four vice president positions, an at-large senator position and an off-campus senator position. Birch said if he won multiple positions he would forfeit the lower positions to the candidate with the next most votes.

Levi Bulgar, student executive vice president, openly admitted to his intention to run for student body president.

Senator Jeremy Menefee was present even though his term will not expire when the election occurs. Alison Kostelich, vice president for academic affairs, was present to answer questions about her job duties, but she has not decided if she will run for reelection.

The meeting, however, was intended to inform non-involved students about how the election will be conducted, what each position entails, and how to operate within parties.

Just one of the 12 attending students was not currently involved with the organization.

Several senators who were appointed to one-semester terms attended the meeting desiring to retain their positions in the election.

A new format for the election was also announced. The only polling location will be in the library quad under a tent, Birch said. There were only two polling locations last year, in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union and in Coleman Hall.

"Having it out in the library quad where it can be seen by more students would hopefully increase voter turnout," Birch said. "If it rains, it will be moved to the bridge lounge."

Volunteers from any student organization, including student senate, will operate the poll. Birch said election workers would be monitored for any illegal campaign support for candidates.

Bulgar said as a candidate he trusts the judgment of the election committee when selecting workers, even though he knows such illegal campaigning has happened before.

Applications will be available on March 17.
Applications will be due on April 1.
Applications can be picked up and dropped off at the Student Activities Center in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Murder Mystery

Reservations for the Student Government funded murder mystery dinner are due by Friday, and Kostelich, the organizer of the project, has only received eight invitations.

The $2,630 event would allow 75 students to invite one professor each to the dinner to enhance relations between faculty and students. Kostelich said students who are more comfortable with their teacher are more prone to higher academic success.

She also said any or all senators can participate in the event, but was unable to disclose how many of the currently collected eight invitations are from student senators.

The dinner will be at 6:30 on March 18 in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Paid actors will accompany each table of students and faculty.

Rick Kambic can be reached at 581-7942 or at rwkambic@eiu.edu.