SGA changed the way its elections work on Monday, thanks to an initiative started by President Pro-Tempore and President-elect Riley Mahon.
Instead of students picking multiple candidates for each position, voters will now pick who they most want to win on a scale of one to five in runoff elections, or what they call “ranked choice voting regulations.”
Mahon said if none of the candidates get a more than 50% majority, the candidate in last place will be eliminated and votes which originally went to that candidate will then go to the candidate in second place.
“This process will just repeat until somebody does have a majority, to ensure that whoever is elected has majority support and that there is no vote splitting or more than two candidates running for a position,” Mahon said. “Pretty simple, I think.”
In cases like this year, where the election is unopposed, Mahon said people could still pick their choice, but it would ultimately be redundant.
This motion passed unanimously with no discussion beyond introducing it. Vice President Madigan Balfe said she had heard Mahon talk about this initiative for close to a year and said it was nice to finally see it written out.
Much of the discussion also centered around potentially adding more bike racks to campus. Parliamentarian and Vice President-elect Sienna Wraith started the discussion, saying a constituent discussed how difficult it can be to get to the bike racks that are available, such as in the GRW’s basement. Wraith said the student told them a bike rack in front of Lawrence Hall could be helpful.
President Christian Rangel said he was unsure where more bike racks could go on campus, since he said space is limited. Sen. Samantha Laureys suggested that the GRW basement is not a good spot for bike racks both new and current because she said it is often a nuisance, especially due to its location in a small hallway in front of a dance studio.
“That dance elevator gets really busy at times because we have to go from a class on the first floor up to the fourth floor,” Laureys said, “and when people have bikes in that elevator, it’s just a little complicated.”
Rangel asked for clarification on the issue, as Wraith did not say whether or not the concerned student said they wanted a bike rack inside or outside. Wraith said it was just a general statement for more accessible racks, as they said what’s available is not great, according to the student.
While some senators discussed where other bike racks are, Rangel chimed in, saying he knows where every bike rack near and on campus is. He said there are “a ton” behind Thayer Hall, some on Third Avenue and Wood Street in front of Lawrence Hall, and a few near the Boulevard Apartments.
Though, Rangel said the bike racks near Lawrence Hall are not used often likely due to security concerns – something he said he has first-hand experience with.
“I did park my bike overnight one time behind Thayer in front of the sign that says ‘monitored 24/7,’” Rangel said. “That got stolen.”
In response, he said he’d never leave his bike outside overnight ever again, speaking on the importance of having a weatherproof and secure spot to secure bicycles on campus. Rangel said he’d take initiative on the issue.
Additionally, the legislative body discussed animation students in West Penn Hall getting kicked out of studios in the building after hours by Velociti housekeeping staff. Wraith also brought up the issue.
Most senators said they heard about the problem through word of mouth, but Sen. Grace Smith said they and Wraith have a roommate who has first-hand experience getting removed from a classroom late at night.
“Apparently, the cleaners have been very aggressive towards them, so I asked my roommate – or any other animation people – to please bring a recording in case something happens,” Smith said.
Additionally, Smith said housekeeping staff have been arriving to West Penn Hall much earlier than 5 a.m., the time Public Relations Director Lou Corsaro said Velociti employees typically enter the building.
President Rangel encouraged senators to gather reports from animation students, which he said will be brought to who’s in charge of overseeing Velociti employees. That person, according to Corsaro, is Vice President of Operations Chris Hill.
