I was disappointed to learn that the Senior Yell Leaders decided to “nullify” the student body election results.
It seems everyone ignores the fact that the Yell Leaders agreed, as they had done for decades, to subject their elections to the rules established by the student body’s representatives in Student Senate. Not only did they agree to abide by these rules, but they agreed to submit themselves to the authority of Judicial Court to resolve disputes.
It is evident that the votes of the student body were not counted correctly. As a result, a lawsuit was filed with Judicial Court. At this point the process was being followed.
But then the Senior Yell Leaders decided that they had the authority to “nullify” the results. While they wanted to ensure votes counted, they actively sought to ensure the exact opposite by advocating that the original votes of 10,000-plus students be ignored. Had they done nothing, the Judicial Court would have resolved the issue, as they did on Monday by ordering a recount.
Rather than let Judicial Court resolve the issue, the Senior Yell Leaders created an issue by calling for a special revote on Wednesday. Students have no right to set the process for this election. Candidates have no recourse to Judicial Court. There are no guarantees of a fair process.
And somehow this is something to be celebrated? Surely not. Rather, students should oppose this revote, lobby for the election process to be fixed by Senate and send a message to the yell leaders that their elections must be conducted by the same rules that govern all campus elections. Student body elections should be governed by the rule of law established by the representatives of the student body as a whole, not three Senior Yell Leaders or government bureaucrats.
Cody T. Vasut ’09