The student government official who was elected by Student Senators to be the Senate’s summer committee chairman Wednesday lost his position two days later during a re-vote at an emergency meeting.
The meeting was called after the Emerald reported that officials broke Oregon law when they elected members to head the summer committee using secret ballots.
Friday’s vote was meant to be a simple re-vote, and those who spoke at the brief meeting said nobody’s mind should be changed.
But Student Senator Sara Hamilton, who lost by two votes Wednesday, beat out Senator Athan Papailiou Friday by one vote, 8 to 7. One senator abstained from voting.
Several senators’ jaws dropped in surprise when the results were announced.
The special meeting was called because former Senate President Stephanie Erickson instructed the mostly new senators to vote anonymously for the summer chairperson and vice chairperson at Wednesday’s meeting. She said other student government committees have voted anonymously for years. According to Oregon Public Meetings Laws, all governing branches and committees must announce how each elected official voted and for whom they voted. Erickson did neither on Wednesday.
The Emerald could not determine who changed their votes because individual votes were not recorded at the first meeting and several senators have declined to comment.
The Summer Senate committee requires only six members, but the body’s power is limited. It may not allocate more than $5,000 to a student program; it may not give money to a program seeking a full budget funding, and it cannot makes changes or amendments to the Senate rules.
Senator Jennifer Lleras, who ran unopposed in both elections, won again on Friday.