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The Daily OrangeElection Season
Students at SUNY ESF run for positions in their college's Undergraduate Student Association
By Ivy Tan
Posted: 3/25/08, 11:52 PM EST Section: News
This year's USA election has nothing to do with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain. Instead, the election is going on to choose this year's members of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry's Undergraduate Student Association (USA) election.
Elections for the USA began Monday and will continue through Thursday.
Leah Flynn, student activities coordinator for ESF, recognizes there is still less enthusiasm than they hoped among the student body for the elections. Flynn said members of the USA continually work hard to get more students to participate in the elections and raise awareness of USA's involvement on their campus.
"I think USA works really hard to get its name out there to not only allow the student body to know that it is responsible for planning events that are on campus," Flynn said. "It also serves as a sounding board for all students, and it serves as a representative to the faculty and the administration here to speak about student concerns."
The best way for USA to reach students and encourage participation in the elections is to advertise activities, said Jeff Newsome, a junior environmental engineering major.
Newsome found Facebook notices and word-of-mouth, such as having professors make announcements in classes, to be effective in a small school environment like that at ESF.
Chris Schalk, an ESF senior majoring in environmental science, said students seem apathetic to these elections. The candidates seeking election are all running unopposed.
"People usually have to pull teeth in order to get the students to run and vote," he said.
Despite an apparent lack of student enthusiasm, the USA is not overshadowed by its neighbor, the larger Syracuse University Student Association (SA).
Cariann Quick, the current vice president of USA and a junior majoring in environmental science, is running for the position of president. She has served on the USA board since her freshman year and previously held the positions of treasurer and secretary.
Elections for the USA began Monday and will continue through Thursday.
Leah Flynn, student activities coordinator for ESF, recognizes there is still less enthusiasm than they hoped among the student body for the elections. Flynn said members of the USA continually work hard to get more students to participate in the elections and raise awareness of USA's involvement on their campus.
"I think USA works really hard to get its name out there to not only allow the student body to know that it is responsible for planning events that are on campus," Flynn said. "It also serves as a sounding board for all students, and it serves as a representative to the faculty and the administration here to speak about student concerns."
The best way for USA to reach students and encourage participation in the elections is to advertise activities, said Jeff Newsome, a junior environmental engineering major.
Newsome found Facebook notices and word-of-mouth, such as having professors make announcements in classes, to be effective in a small school environment like that at ESF.
Chris Schalk, an ESF senior majoring in environmental science, said students seem apathetic to these elections. The candidates seeking election are all running unopposed.
"People usually have to pull teeth in order to get the students to run and vote," he said.
Despite an apparent lack of student enthusiasm, the USA is not overshadowed by its neighbor, the larger Syracuse University Student Association (SA).
Cariann Quick, the current vice president of USA and a junior majoring in environmental science, is running for the position of president. She has served on the USA board since her freshman year and previously held the positions of treasurer and secretary.
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