A close race between Viet Do '06 and Ryan Smith '07, the two original candidates for JC chair, has resulted in a run-off election which is scheduled to take place tomorrow. Do and Smith received 161 and 162 votes respectively, without consideration for absentee ballots. In order to become JC chair, a candidate must win more than 50 percent of the vote.
In addition, students voted to pass an amendment to section VII.E.2. of the AAS constitution, adding that "the JC shall have the duty of informing the student body about the time, the location, and nature of the complaint hearing seventy-two hours beforehand."
The amendment passed with 343 votes.
JC hearings address issues of adherence to the AAS constitution.
Scriber was pleased with the voter turnout. "It is a great honor that my class has elected me to the AAS. I am glad that over a quarter of the class voted in the contest for the open senate seat in which I had no official position," he said. "I did not expect to get anywhere near 98 votes and I appreciate every one of them."
Do, one of the candidates who ran for JC chair, felt that the elections were fair, attributing this success to AAS elections chair Senator Matt Vanneman '06.
Vanneman also expressed satisfaction with the election process and its new members, but was disappointed in the lack of candidates for the class of 2004 senators.
With the election of new AAS members came a score of new ideas and improvements for the organization. Dhawan explained that although the AAS has good intentions, students often feel that it is not always attentive to the needs of the community.
"The AAS needs to figure out how to overcome this lack of faith," he said. "I believe I can bring the optimism and hope people have invested in me, and a desire to execute my duties to the best of my ability."
Scriber has also noticed this general opinion surrounding the AAS and is committed to embracing the ideas of students who are critical of AAS. "[Students] should expect me to do the best job I am capable of doing and I have no intention of letting them down," he said.
Scriber proposed several solutions to break down the barrier between members of the AAS and students, including extending a special invitation to students to come to AAS meetings for the sole purpose of having them express their grievances against the AAS. "We have to find out what people think of the AAS before we can make it better," he said.
Podduturi also has lofty goals for the AAS. "[I hope the AAS can] regain much of the credibility that it has recently lost," he said.
Podduturi said he believes that he can bring "a certain amount of objectivity to a senate that has been infamous for vitriolic, personal arguments."
The upcoming run-off election for JC chair also generated responses from both Do and Smith.
Do, if elected, hopes to simplify the judiciary process and to clarify the council's role in order to "encourage greater openness between the council and other AAS committees and clubs to foster a more cooperative environment."
"I want to thank all of you who had voted for me the first time around, and ask you to take a few more minutes of your time to vote again," Do said. "To those who have not yet voted, I hope to get your vote this time."
Smith hopes that, if elected, he can accurately represent the student body's desires by soliciting the opinions of as many students as possible before making large decisions so that "each student's opinion truly matters."
He also referred to the premature resignations of the past two council chairs and promised that if elected, he would make more than a temporary commitment.
Smith acknowledged that the need for a run-off election indicates that each candidate is very worthy of the position. "Each voter should consider which candidate will do the most good for them, and do the most good for the school," he said. "The voter should choose whoever would most accurately represent them, and whoever they would prefer to make the decisions that directly affect them."