Ohio University’s Student Senate might not know all of its candidates for second-in-command until the beginning of itsWednesday meeting, but it will know its new vice president by the end of the night.
The body of voting members will vote to fill the empty vice president seat after former Vice President Anna Morton was sworn into office as president at the Jan. 15 meeting. Morton took over as president after former senate President Nick Southall resigned after being arrested in Florida in December.
Any registered OU student is able to run for the open office after the body suspended the rule that only current members of senate could be elected to the office.
The results will be announced before the meeting is over, Morton said.
Seven students have nominated themselves for the position as of press time, but students will be able to nominate themselves up until the vote is done, Morton said.
An official ballot will not be made in case students nominate themselves at the last minute, and senators will be asked to only vote for a student who has already nominated themselves, Morton said.
Only voting members of the body will be allowed to vote, Morton said.
“It’s a purely internal position and we don’t have the time to run that campaign, the money for all of this and I don’t think the voter turnout would (be good),” Morton said.
The vote will not be held in executive session, but a short recess might be called while the votes are counted, Morton said.
“They’ll take the oath whoever it is, right then and there and they’ll be sworn in and they’ll be on the journey with us.”
Meet the Candidates
Allie Erwin
senior studying political science, Honors Tutorial College senator who co-founded F--k Rape Culture
What qualifies you for the position?
“I’ve been participating off and on in Student Senate over the past two years,” Erwin said. “I came back this year as HTC senator to try to help fix it from within.”
What would you do as VP?
“I would want to set up some sort of accountability system to make sure senators are actually spending time with their constituents and not with each other,” Erwin said. “Our responsibility isn’t to each other, primarily, it’s to the students that we represent.”
Tyler Daniels
senior studying political science and global studies — war and peace, senator at-large on the university life commission
What qualifies you for the position?
Daniels said he spent four years in the Army and five years after that working for FedEx before enrolling in OU as an undergraduate.
“There were clearly other people who know the position better than I do, but they know it how it is. I’m a new face,” Daniels said. “I have the reputation of always working hard and showing up, and I think that precedes me.”
What would you do as VP?
“I hope that all the problems that have been happening this year do not happen to future senate bodies,” Daniels said, adding he would like to get better attendance out of the body members.
Mary Kate Gallagher
senior studying community health and family development, former residence life commissioner who stepped down in September
What qualifies you for the position?
Gallagher said her time in senate in the rules and procedures committee is what qualifies her for the position.
“A good VP will know the rules, know why they were created, and know the outcomes of the way things are supposed to function.”
What would you do as VP?
“My goal is to reach out to the type of student who isn’t active in student organizations and really advocate for them, because it’s just as important that we advocate for their needs as it is to advocate for students who are involved,” Gallagher said.
Jacob Chaffin
senior studying middle
childhood education, former vice commissioner and lobbying chief, ran for vice president against Morton on the FUSS ticket
What qualifies you for the position?
“I’ve been organizing students for the past three years on this campus,” Chaffin said, adding he has sat on the student trustee selection committee, which the vice president is obliged to fill.
What would you do as VP?
“I would encourage campaign limits on spending,” Chaffin said.
Adam Brown
senior studying economics and political science, South Green senator
What qualifies you for the position?
Brown said his understanding of how the body operates—gained during his time on senate—qualifies him for the position.
What would you do as VP?
Brown said he would make sure commissioners have specific goals and “in a non-hostile way, hold them accountable for those goals.”
Noah Hajivandi
junior studying geography, no previous connections to senate
What qualifies you for the position?
Hajivandi said he had experience leading student organizations at his previous college, University of Rio Grande. He was also involved with student government in high school.
What would you do as VP?
“I would advocate for more equality for people with disabilities. I would advocate for more scholarships and ways to bring tuition down,” Hajivandi said.
@mariadevito13
md781510@ohiou.edu
