NEC reveals frosh election results

The Undergraduate Assembly and class board votes ran more smoothly than in the past. In an unusually smooth election, eight freshmen were elected to the Undergraduate Assembly and seven to the freshman class board, the group that runs elections announced last night. Only one candidate was charged with an election-rule violation by the Nominations and Elections Committee at a post-election hearing last night in Logan Hall, and the election itself will stand. By contrast, at last year's raucous meeting, the NEC discarded the election results because of complaints that it left out some candidates' statements from an ad in The Daily Pennsylvanian. In past years, many more candidates have been charged with violating election rules, mostly with failing to turn in spending forms. The NEC instituted clearer procedural rules and a more comprehensive candidate orientation meeting this year to combat that problem. After deliberating whether to disqualify the student, the NEC announced the results of Tuesday and Wednesday's vote: one-third of Penn's 2,400 freshmen, about the same turnout as last year, came out to elect eight of 23 Undergraduate Assembly candidates. The Class of 2002 board was also elected, with candidates filling seven of the nine available positions. College freshman Alex Tolbert became the class' first president. NEC Chairperson Neha Champaneria described the elections and hearing -- held under the Fair Practices Code, the rules for student-government elections -- as "the best I've seen in four years." "The freshmen followed the rules and were interested in the NEC and student government in general, whereas in the past, students have been somewhat apathetic," the Wharton senior said. "If the worst thing they do is complain that the NEC is too bureaucratic, that makes me happy." About half of the hour-long meeting was centered on the single charge, which the NEC filed against UA candidate Aaron Tidman. Tidman, a College freshman, was charged after failing to turn in his spending form to the NEC at the close of elections on Wednesday night. This rule is part of the FPC and was explained to all freshmen candidates at the October 2 candidates' meeting. "I had no ill intentions, but I was physically incapacitated by a cold and dislocated shoulder, and fell asleep for four hours last night," said Tidman, explaining his case to the NEC and candidates present. "It was human error that I literally hit the sack, and for that I am truly sorry." Tidman handed in his spending form, which listed his expenditures at $1.40. The NEC limit was $35. After about 30 minutes of deliberation, the NEC announced its decision not to disqualify Tidman, though he would find out a few minutes later he was not elected. During the hearing, many candidates questioned the need for a charge and lengthy deliberation over what they called a minor violation. "The charge and deliberation over someone falling asleep and forgetting to turn in his form were absurd," said new class Vice President of Corporate Sponsorship J.L. Zrebiec, a Wharton freshman. "The hearing was a complete waste of time." In response to the freshmen's reactions, NEC Vice Chairperson of Elections Christine Naselaris explained the role of the NEC in student government. "We are a very serious, apolitical organization whose role it is to run a fair election," the College junior said. "No matter how silly it may be that it was just about a spending-form violation, the process of deliberating over charges is necessary to ensure that elections do not in any way violate the FPC." Naselaris proceeded to announce the freshmen elected to the UA. Winning seats were Engineering freshman Anna Marie Lipski, Wharton freshmen David Burd and Dana Becker and College freshmen Wendy Shiekman, Matt Kraus, Dana Hork, Rohan Ramakrishna and Kim Rittberg. The members of the Freshman Class Board were also announced. In addition to Tolbert and Zrebiec, Lipski is vice president; College freshman Hayley Friedman is secretary and the treasurer is Wharton freshman Justin Green. Carrie Zaslow and Vincenzo LaRuffa will represent the College, and Ming Fang is the Wharton representative. All three ran unopposed, and the Nursing and Engineering slots remain unfilled. The NEC and the class boards hope to fill these positions through an application process within the next few weeks.

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