On Monday, April 13, 2020, Dean of Student Life Michael Gieseke sent out the election results for the Student Government Association (SGA) presidential election. Dennis McDermott won the popular vote for president with 150 votes, with Grace Tyler Frank-Rempel behind him with 114 votes. 

In a statement on Twitter from McDermott following the results from the election, McDermott took the time to congratulate those who helped him get elected. He also took the time to thank his opponent.  

“Folks, we’ve done it! I would like to thank everyone who supported me for their help as well as those who did not for contributing to the democratic process and for facilitating discussion between the candidates. The number one person I would like to thank is @GTFRforPres. Despite attempts by others to create controversy, Grace remained above it all remaining cordial throughout. Grace has already agreed to stay on SGA and continue her work for the student body.”

While Frank-Rempel did not win the presidential election, she revealed in an interview following the election results that she, in talks with McDermott, has assured that she plans on returning to SGA in the upcoming season, though the role she would take on remains unclear. 

The vice presidential race changed late in the game Monday morning when Recording Secretary Jordyn Hronec posted a statement on Twitter, sharing the news that she was dropping out of the race. While her statement can be found in full on her Twitter account @_Jordynator3000, the following is an excerpt:

“After much consideration and difficult decision making, I have chosen to exit the race for Vice President.”

In a statement from Hronec to The Globe, Hronec stated that the support from the student body has been heartwarming.

“I decided to exit the race for Vice President after much deliberation,” Hronec said. “I came to the realization that should I hold both the position of Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of The Globe, I wouldn’t physically be able to give 110% of myself to both positions, and I’d rather do one job extraordinarily well rather than do two jobs only somewhat well. I also still hold the belief that The Globe and SGA both serve to hold our administration accountable and provide a voice to students, and this job is my true passion. I would like to thank all of the students who voted for me. I’ve been going through a tough time personally, so to know that so many people believed in and trusted me was really uplifting. But I also know that Bryce will do an amazing job, I never doubted that.”

Hronec does plan to serve on SGA, though notably in a less involved role, in order to better serve The Globe. She will serve as a Senator-at-Large and continue work on the student concerns committee.

With Hronec having dropped out of the race, Bryce Hayzlett won the Vice Presidency with 56 votes, 23% of the popular vote. In a statement from Hayzlett following the results of the election, Hayzlett had a positive outlook on the semesters to come.

“As an information technology student from a small social circle who wasn’t able to properly campaign due to campus being shut down, I’m extremely grateful for all of the votes that I received,” Hayzlett said. “Jordyn and I have already worked together this year in SGA and I’m sure that we will again this coming academic year. I hope that I can make everyone who voted for me proud and that I’m able to properly represent the student body as a whole.”

In Monday’s executive cabinet meeting, taking place nearly an hour before election results were to be revealed, then-Vice President Grace Tyler Frank-Rempel reminded the cabinet that next week’s SGA meeting will be the last of the year.

Also decided in the executive cabinet meeting were the circumstances by which the swearing-in ceremony would be held. It was decided that the ceremony would be held via Zoom next Monday, and that is when the new president’s term would begin.

To end the executive cabinet meeting, Treasurer Laura Draghiciu stated that she would facilitate a meeting with the finance committee before next week’s meeting to form suggestions for potential amendments to the constitution regarding possibly unclear finance rules. Should this occur, a vote will be held next week.

Lastly, in a bizarre turn of events, President Berlin tweeted on his presidential Twitter account at 9 p.m. on Monday April 13, one week before McDermott will take office, that he is resigning in order to allow Frank-Rempel to be president, albeit for a short while. 

“It’s been an honor to represent all Pioneers across campus. This past year was a historic chapter in Point Park’s history. But students deserve to experience a Grace Tyler Frank-Rempel presidency. Therefore, I am resigning, effective immediately. Thank you for your support.” his tweet said. This would also mean that Vice President-elect Hayzlett would rise to the Vice Presidency immediately, seeing as he was serving as the current President Pro-Tempore.  

Disclosure: Jordyn Hronec is the Editor-Elect of The Globe.