UP voters speak

By Rosemary Peters, Editor-in-Chief -- peters12@up.edu

Last night, with the close of the ASUP election poll came the unveiling of the 2011-2012 executive board.

Juniors Zack Imfeld and Chloe Ruffin cinched the presidential and vice presidential positions on next year's ASUP Executive Board with 63.9 percent of the vote.

"It feels exciting to be validated by the students and to be recognized as a leader," Imfeld said directly after hearing the elections results.

Ruffin is excited as well.

"I am so joyful, happy and very excited to start next year and make next year's exec. board the best it has ever been," Ruffin said.

Sophomore Sean Ducey defeated incumbent and junior Hillary White with 55.3 percent of the vote, claiming the position of Campus Program Board Director.

He received 55.3 percent of the 1,358 votes cast, which is the highest voter turnout since ASUP shifted the election process to online voting.

"I feel great," Ducey said over the phone as his friends yelled congratulations to him in the background. "I am really excited right now. Every time I was in The Commons this week, I would tell people to vote for me for CPB Director."

Ducey, and most of the other candidates, used Facebook to keep their names on the minds of the voters.

"It was a close race and both students are highly qualified," Student Activities Director Jeromy Koffler said of the CPB candidates. "There was an advantage to the candidate that won because he was on campus during the 11th hour of the campaign."

Despite Ducey's win, Koffler doesn't want to see ASUP lose White as a CPB member.

"Because of her skill set, our department will do our best to make sure she stays involved next year," Koffler said.

White says she doesn't plan to quit CPB.

"I plan on applying for a coordinator position," White said. "I don't plan on leaving the organization for good just because I am not in charge of it anymore."

"I had a great time doing this and I love CPB. I am happy to pass this on to someone that can keep CPB afloat," White said.

Imfeld feels positively about the outcome of the CPB Director position.

"Since CPB is such a unified group, I think it will be a nice transition," Imfeld said. "I don't see a problem because when I think of Hillary, I think of a leader that puts the needs of the community above her own."

Ruffin shares Imfeld's sentiments.

"They're both leaders. We would be blessed to have either on the exec. board," Ruffin said.

Filling out the rest of the Executive Board are Treasurer-elect Caitlin Chu and Secretary-elect Kristin Johnson.

"It's going to be exciting to see them rise to the challenge and take on this responsibility," Koffler said.

In addition to voting for next year's Executive Board, 72.2 percent of the UP students who voted passed ASUP Resolution 11-02, which means candidates are able to keep up their posters through the elections.

The newly elected Executive Board will go on a transition retreat on April 1-3 and will officially take office at the last ASUP meeting scheduled for April 11.

"Thank you to everyone for voting," Ducey said. "I can't wait for next year."