About 20 students came to an informational meeting about 2008 ASUO elections Monday. Some of them are already involved in student government.
There will be another informal meeting on Feb. 29, and all candidates must file by 5 p.m. on March 7 in the ASUO office.
Sens. Kate Jones and Billy Hatch both signed a contact sheet passed around the room, as did Programs Finance Committee Vice Chairwoman Mei Li Yu, ASUO Finance Coordinator Matt Rose and Derek Nix, the Senate’s administrative assistant.
Elections Coordinator Kendell Tylee said current senators may have signed the list because they want to receive an updated information if more positions are created by a possible special election. The election would create two new committees and two new Senate seats.
None of the current officeholders confirmed that they plan to run again this spring. Jones said she may take a job as a Graduate Teaching Fellow. Hatch said that if he runs he would be interested in a higher office than his current position on the EMU Board of Directors.
Yu said she is thinking about running but has not decided which position she would seek.
Sean Jin, a contributor to the Oregon Commentator and a member of the Veterans and Family Student Association, also attended the meeting. He said he is considering a run for Senate.
Only two of 18 senators – Noor Rajabzadeh, who represents social sciences, and Kevin Parks, who represents graduate and law students – have another year in their terms in office. Most senators representing academic majors serve two-year terms, while some senators who sit on finance committees serve one-year terms.
The others have the option to run again, but many are graduating or choosing to no longer be involved in student government.
There will also be two open at-large seats on the EMU Board, one on the Athletic Department Finance Committee and two on the Programs Finance Committee.
Neither ASUO President Emily McLain or Vice President Chii-San SunOwen will run for another term as ASUO Executive. No candidates have announced intentions to be the next student body president.
Two Executive candidate debates have already been scheduled. One will take place on April 1 in the LLC Performance Hall during the primary election, and the other will be on April 8 in Gerlinger Lounge.
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