At a special Student Senate meeting Thursday night, the results of the 68th general election of the student body were ratified by the Senate – including the Presidential, Vice Presidential and Senatorial elections. Desmond Miller will officially serve as President with Steven Cole as his Vice President.
“I am happy it finally got ratified,” Miller said. “There is no bad blood between me and the Senate.”
Nino Monea, current student body Vice President, exercised his power as President of the Senate to set and manage the agenda of Thursday night’s meeting.
In light of the extensive debating at the previous Senate meeting, Monea set limits on Thursday night’s debates. Only nonmembers of Student Government were given the opportunity to speak during the constituents’ forum. The number of people allowed to speak during the constituents’ forum was limited to 10, and each speaker was only given three minutes to address the Senate.
One nonmember of Student Government chose to speak on the behalf of write-in Presidential candidate Fatma Jaber.
“The issue of president is completely unresolved among the senate and the student body, therefore I along with 13 other plaintiffs, including members of this senate, have no choice but to go through the legal process,” former member of the Student Senate Waleed Baker said. “I trust that everyone in this room will respect the legal process and not take any action tonight and allow the legal process to run its course.”
Baker told the Senate he had a copy of a lawsuit, but did not specify the details or who it was against. He called for the meeting to adjourn until further notice from the court. The Senate meeting continued despite Baker’s plea.
Many members of the Senate were absent from the special meeting, including Jaber. Despite the absences, the 13 present members constituted a majority of the Senate, which allowed for a quorum.
Following the constituents’ forum, the resolution to ratify the election results was put to a vote. The results were ratified by a vote of 10-0.
“I am incredibly pleased the results were ratified,” Monea said. “Student Government will continue for another year.”
Jaber had appealed her disqualification from the Presidential election to Provost Kim Schatzel. Upon reviewing the appeal, Schatzel said Jaber’s disqualification would stand.
“Because there was no procedural error that influenced the [Election] Commission’s decision to disqualify you, the sanction must stand,” Schatzel said in an email to Jaber Thursday.
