Technician
thursday april
8
2010
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Student body election results announced Hook wins student body president election, kouba takes student senate Story By Russell Witham & Annie Albright | photo illustration By David Mabe
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tudent body election results were released at 3:10 a.m. Wednesday morning, marking the end to the two-week campaign period and introducing a new executive branch for Student Government. At Student Senate’s Wednesday meeting, which began with a welcome speech by new Chancellor Randy Woodson, the four executive members were sworn in. Kelly Hook, student body president-elect, said she was overwhelmed with the results. “I’m so lucky, I’m so excited, and I have to thank my amazing team,” Hook said. “I’m speechless.” To her supporters, Hook said, she was thankful. “I had an amazing hard-working team; I won because of the people around me,” Hook said. “Thank you, I don’t know what else to say, I’m so overwhelmed. I’ve been 56 hours with no sleep but I’m excited, let’s get stuff done right now.” Lindsay Pullum, chair of the elections commission, said she was satisfied with the results of the election. “It’s really rewarding, I’ve had a really great time,” Pullum said. “I’ve learned a lot and I’ve applied a lot of what I’ve learned and it’s been really exciting to see everyone’s reactions.” Pullum said she is excited for the upcoming year. “It’s been great to see everything pay off for this University,” Pullum said. “It’s
been incredibly humbling and I’m really excited for everybody. Everyone’s worked really hard.” Stephen Kouba, Student Senate president-elect, said he is looking forward to leading the students’ representative body. “I’m really excited. It’s going to be a great year,” Kouba said. “It’ll be great to start a new administration fresh.” Despite losing, some of the other student body president candidates were enthusiastic about the upcoming year and said they looked forward to continuing their
Stephen Kouba
service as student leaders. Scott Goldsmith, sophomore in political science and student body president candidate, said the decision was up to the students; they made the decision. Likewise, Zach Lego, junior in aerospace engineering and student body president candidate, said, “I didn’t win, but students spoke and they got the person they wanted to win.” Lego and Goldsmith said they hoped to serve in other leadership positions next year, including serving in the Student Senate. Kouba said the other candidates would be welcome because of their experience and desire to serve the campus. He said he hopes to see them next year. According to the unofficial results provided by Lindsay Pullum, Hook was victorious over the other two final student body president candidates by more than
Kelly Hook
Final Senate meeting welcomes new leaders, new chancellor Chancellor Woodson attends final Senate meeting, new leaders sworn in while old leaders reflect on their terms
more about how great N.C. State is. “This is a strong University but I think that’s a well kept secret. [N.C. State] has always been a very modest and practical university,” Woodson said. “My job is to be the chief cheerleader for the University. We’ve got to Nick Tran be more boastful and tell the story of News Editor the University a little better. I want to The last Student Senate meeting of make sure the value of your diploma the year and of the current Student goes up.” Woodson said another one of his Government administration was held Wednesday night. Chancellor Randy goals was to bring more unity to the Woodson was in attendance, meeting different colleges, which one of the senators said seemed to have signifiwith old and new student leaders. The newly elected leaders of SG cant divisions. According to Woodson, clear diviwere sworn in before the Senate. Afterwards Woodson was given the op- sions are beneficial as they allow each portunity to address the Senate and department and field to develop its own reputation. give an outlook “Every Univeron his plans for sity has a level of the University decentralization and his future and you do want relationship with that,” he said. students and stu“We’ve got to dent leaders. figure out how to Woodson said create interdiscihaving good ties plinary programs w i t h s t u d e nt for students.” government is Wednesday’s i mp or t a nt to Jim Ceresnak, student body president Senate meeting working with the was also the last student body. “This is my third meeting with a meeting presided over by Senate Presistudent leadership group so I’ve al- dent Kelli Rogers and Student Body ready heard what’s on some people’s President Jim Ceresnak. Ceresnak said he was satisfied with minds,” he said. “The way Student Government works is really an inspi- his run as Student Body President and ration to the University. I want to work felt he was able to deliver on his camtogether to develop a shared vision for paign platform during his term. “I had a great group to work with. N.C. State.” Woodson also talked about his goals You can’t accomplish anything withto make himself and the University out a great team,” he said. “I’m really more of an asset to current and gradu- proud of the team we put together and I think we accomplished a lot ated students. “I’ll be available and accessible to and made a real impact on campus.” Ceresnak said his original platform students. The only reason I do this is to support the students,” he said. “I’ve consisted of changing the date for got to make an effort to go out and spring break, improving the Atrium and student center, fostering student engage with students.” innovation, and instituting a student According to Woodson, the primary discount program. According to Ceresnak, there were method to increasing the reputation of the University is to let people know many challenges during his term but
“I hope people look back and say we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish.”
NC STATE BOOKSTORES
he was able to overcome and deliver results to the student body or set a sound foundation for the next administration to take up the task. “The new officers are outstanding and I hope we’ve provided a good foundation for them to work on, not just Student Government, but all students,” Ceresnak said. “It will be difficult: working with a new chancellor, new leadership, and the continued economic situations. There will be challenges but also new opportunities and this is a good group to meet the challenges.” Rogers also reflected on her time serving as Senate president and said there were definitely a lot of obstacles they overcame. “Senate has been through a lot and had a fair share of challenges throughout the year. We lost our chancellor not to long after the first meeting,” she said. “From dealing with the scandal to trying to find a way to build a new student center, we’ve faced a lot of controversy.” According to Rogers, her goal coming into the position of Senate president was to change the idea SG was an exclusive, elite group. “The biggest thing I wanted to accomplish was to break up the “good-old-boys” club SG was,” she said. “We struggled with remaining open to all students, making it more accessible and representative of the student body.” Rogers said the only constant thing in SG should be change and the new administration should continue searching for new perspectives to better represent students. “I hope this year has laid a good foundation for responsible future leadership, especially when it comes to being held responsible for actions,” she said. “SG needs to reestablish itself with the students while it tries to do the same with the new administration.”
$10
Unofficial Results Student Body President: • Kelly Hook 2,954 • Ches McDowell 1,874 • Matt Woodward 889 Student Senate President: • Stephen Kouba 3,038 • Sarah Center 1,370 • Michael Robinson 599 Student Body Treasurer: • Buddy Bryson 2,659 • Kyle O Donnell 2,167 Out of 31,872 possible voters, 5,876 ballots were cast Source: Lindsay Pullum, election commission chair
1,000 votes after the sixth round of the instantrunoff voting system. Hook had 51.7 percent of the vote in that round, Ches McDowell, junior in political science, was second with 32.8 percent
elections continued page 3
Buddy Bryson
WKNC to present free live music at Fridays on the lawn Concert will provide free music to students and locals Katie Maness Staff Writer
WKNC will continue its Fridays on the lawn program this week with free, live music on Harris field. Tommy Anderson, the general manager of WKNC and a senior in political science, said that the purpose of Fridays on the lawn is to spread music out to the students. “It is to showcase good, local bands for students and other people in the surrounding areas,” Anderson said. “We had three events in the fall and they all went really well,” Anderson said. “There is only one event for the spring, but we hope this one also goes well. Harris field had the best sound, that is why we are doing it there.” Anderson said the concert is free because of the help they received through U.A.B. and the Inter Residence Council. “We were able to establish good connections with Union Activities Board and the Inter Residence Council,” Anderson said. “We got funding through both of them to put the concert on, and we have our own sound man.” Gene Smilek, a sophomore in anthropology, said he was excited that the show was free. “Free is always good, because like most college students, I am broke,” Smilek said. Anderson said there are two bands playing, Aminal and Bright Young
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Things. Patrick O’Niell, singer and guitarist for the band Aminal, said the band is comprised of himself, Joe Caparo on the bass, and Cameron Weeks on the drums. He said they formed one afternoon when he was sitting around with Cameron drinking beer. “We had both been in bands before, and we both have a mutual appreciation for bands like Big Star, and The Band,” O’Niell said. “We hated Led Zeppelin, which bonded us together. Cameron knew Joe, who has been in more bands then I will ever forget. Then there was Aminal.” O’Niell said they are a local, triangle band based in Chapel Hill. “They [Chapel Hill] are all right. I really enjoy Raleigh. The music scene, and the NCSU radio station WKNC is really great,” O’Niell said. Anderson said he could not pick a specific sound for these two bands “They are Indie rock bands, but it is not like niche genres,” Anderson said. “It is just good music. They are very accessible to students.” O’Niell said they sound like a lot of different genres, and that is what makes them Aminal. “We are obviously rock and roll,” O’Niell said. “Cameron likes to call it twangy rock, I like to call it soul rock and Joe does not like to label our music as anything. We sound like the beach boys on a really bad day.” Smilek said he averages going to over 200 concerts a year. “I personally have never seen them, but I have heard good things about
LAWN continued page 3
Pack pounds Coppin State, stays hot See page 8.
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All proceeds benefit the NC State Student Government Kay Yow Memorial
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