Posted March 3, 2005.
Kyle Taylor won the Student Government presidency with 55.8 percent of 711 votes and will assume the position April 17. Joe Gallina got 43.7 percent of the vote in the run-off election held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.
Taylor, a junior in the Kogod School of Business and the School of International Service, said the win was an exciting conclusion to a week of intense campaigning.
"[I feel] overwhelmed, but all the exhaustion sort of disappeared," he said.
He said he plans to focus first on the Save Our Sports campaign to seek answers from the administration on why golf and tennis teams were cut last week.
Taylor was a swimmer when AU Athetics cut swimming scholarships in November 2003 and said he empathizes with the athletes.
He also plans to focus on the increasing student participation in student government.
"We need to get more people in [student government] because it affects everyone," he said. "We do have a say."
Taylor said he looks forward to training for the presidency in the coming weeks with current SC President Polson Kanneth. He hopes to learn from Kanneth as well as incorporate knowledge he gained when he served as SC vice president for part of last year after Marguerite Meyer became ineligible due to credit reasons.
"I want to get a sense of where [Kanneth] is and what he does, and what's important to Polson, and keep going what he's started," Taylor said.
Kanneth echoed Taylor's goal of building upon this year's SC accomplishments, and said he had confidence in the newly elected president. During Kanneth's term the SC fought to keep fall break for the 2005-2006 year and extend library hours during finals week, among other achievements.
"I think he knows what he's doing," Kanneth said. "I want to work with him to make sure the foundation we've made continues."
Kanneth said he thought Taylor won due to endorsements from this year's former presidential candidates Nick Johnson and James Gardner, and his ability to energize students.
"Kyle is energetic, he's exciting. The student body listened to what he had to say," Kanneth said.
Gallina, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, said he wasn't sure why Taylor won, but he said he hopes Taylor will incorporate some of his platform into his presidency.
"I just ask that he hold the administration accountable," Gallina said.
He also thanked supporters for a campaign that he said made him proud.
"I want to thank each and every person who came out to vote for me twice."
He said he plans to continue working with the General Assembly, the legislative branch of the SC, where he currently represents SPA and serves as chair of the Finance Committee.
