Pat McGill won the Student Government vice-presidential run-off with 78 percent of the vote Friday.
McGill is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs an Class of 2008 undergraduate senator. Over 600 students voted in the run-off election.
"I want next year to be a year of revitalization," McGill said after the announcement. "The new executives bring a fresh new face to Student Government. My goal for next year is to prove that Student Government is listening."
According to McGill, he'll fight to implement everything he said he would.
The vice presidential run-off was also tainted with Board of Election hearings as well as difficulty with the online
voting.
Polls were scheduled to open at midnight on Friday, but due to technical difficulties, were not working properly until later Friday morning.
Charges were brought against both candidates on the eve of voting. Both candidates were found responsible, and sanctions were imposed.
Candidate Katie Myers, a sophomore in SPA and Class of 2008 undergraduate senator, brought charges against Pat McGill for campaigning in Mary Graydon Center and the misuse of a listserv.
McGill pled responsible and as a result he was required to end campaigning an hour early on Friday.
McGill brought charges against Myers, also for the misuse of a listserv which violated BOE standing rule 12.
A written reprimand was put on her file.
Board of Elections Vice Chair Brandon Blackburn-Dwyer presented the spring election results to the Undergraduate Senate on Sunday.
The Senate overwhelmingly voted to confirm the election results. At the next Senate meeting, the BOE will make a more in-depth report and give recommendations on how to improve the election process.
The Senate also passed legislation Sunday to promote academic freedom in the classroom. The bill, sponsored by At-Large Senator Will Haun, aims to inform and students of the academic regulations in place to insure academic
freedom.
"I think the bill is critical to students understanding their rights and responsibilities in the classroom," Haun said of the legislation. "It allows students to be more civil in the classroom and to have a better understanding of the ideas being tossed around. It puts the SG at the forefront of an issue that is going raise a lot of awareness on campus."
The SG will work in conjunction with Civitas and other campus organizations to promote academic freedom through an annual town hall forum as well as various forms of literature.
Next week, the Faculty Senate will work to tackle the issue of creating a new faculty position.
The Undergraduate Senate dealt with this issue two weeks ago with a near-unanimous vote passing legislation in support of the creation of the new teaching professor position.
The legislation, sponsored by Class of 2009 Senator Erika Langhart, said currently, temporary professors regardless, of performance reviews, can teach at AU for no more than five years.
After the fifth year, temporary professors are no longer eligible to have their contract renewed at AU. With the creation of theteaching professor position, the professors are eligible to continue working under contract after their fifth
year.
