In a landslide victory, ASUP presidential challenger John Julius Muwulya and his vice presidential running mate Josh Cleary trounced current ASUP president Quin Chadwick and vice president Elvia Gaona, 68.4 percent to 28.7 percent. Forty percent of the student body voted.
The two campaigns used very different approaches. Chadwick and Gaona focused more on broader themes such as diversity and changes to core requirements while Muwulya and Cleary emphasized more practical changes such as better wifi and toilet paper, embodied by their campaign slogan: “two-ply and wifi.”
“Our platform was really really concrete and ambitious, and I think both of us are really really excited to get on the ground running,” junior Muwulya said, a Uganda-born civil engineering major.
Vice president-elect Cleary is a junior nursing major.
“I think the toilet paper is definitely the first thing….and tackling different issues with the Wifi. We’ve been doing a lot of research on solutions that other similar sized campuses have been going forth with their wifi,” Cleary said. “We’ll be doing those practical things first."
Muwulya and Cleary also hope to kick off the school year with a music festival on River Campus.
Chadwick was disappointed with his and Gaona’s defeat but said he is also grateful.
“Thank you for this opportunity for me to not only serve you, the students, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow and learn and develop myself as human being,” Chadwick said. “That’s one of the best parts of this position is that it challenges you in ways you’d never thought you’d be challenged. I can walk out of this office and say I am a better person and a stronger individual after going through presidency.”
He also offered some advice to his successor.
“Be ready and be strong and be organized. iCal or google calendar, you’re going to need it!” Chadwick said.
Muwulya and Cleary said they wanted to build on the work that Chadwick and Gaona have done over this past year.
“We are really grateful that this community has been able to give us a chance,” he said.
In other races, voters chose sophomore Mariah Wildgen over junior Matthew Sutherland for ASUP secretary and junior Sarah Berger over junior Bryan Chipman for CPB Director. Junior Jesse Robinson ran unopposed and was re-elected as treasurer.
As CPB director, Sarah Berger plans to add four main events a semester while keeping current UP traditions such as Dance of the Decades.
“There’s not a lack of programming on campus just with Pilots after Dark happening every Friday and Saturday. I think its CPB’s job to be more responsible with our funds and making sure we plan larger scale events,” Berger said.
Resolution 13-13, which officially defines a non-traditional Senator, was passed.
ASUP Election Results
President/VP
Muwulya/Cleary 68.4%
Chadwick/Gaona 28.7%
Treasurer
Robinson 90.9%
Secretary
Wildgen 64.7%
Sutherland 30.5%
CPB Director
Berger 62.7%
Chipman 31.8%
Resolution 13-13
49.9% for
39.6% against
10.5%abstaining
