2008 Woodie Awards
Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
Tong elected UA chairman for next year
SPEC , NEC also elect executive boards for upcoming year
Kathy Wang
The Undergraduate Assembly elected its new executive board for the 2008-2009 school year last night after a six-hour meeting that was open to the public.
College and Wharton junior Wilson Tong will lead the UA as the body's new chairman. Tong, the current vice chairman for external affairs, is also the first Asian-American chairman in the UA's history.
Other members of the executive board include:
n Executive Vice Chair: College junior Jay Patel
n Vice Chair for External Affairs: College sophomore Zac Byer
n Treasurer: Wharton junior Ben Coulter
n Secretary: Will be elected later this week due to "extenuating circumstances," according to outgoing UA chairman and College senior Jason Karsh.
With a total of seven members running for four positions, the race was slightly less competitive than last year's, when 10 members ran for five positions.
The position of chairman was uncontested, contrary to last year, when it received the most debate. On the other hand, the executive vice chairman and vice chairman for external affairs races were extremely competitive, with both Patel and Byer winning by just a single vote - 9 to 8 with six abstentions in the first race and 11 to 10 with two abstentions in the second.
The position of treasurer was met with less debate, concluding with Coulter winning 17 to 4 with one abstention.
In Tong's first motion as chairman, the race for secretary will be postponed until later this week, as no members had decided to run for the spot before the meeting began. Two members emerged as potential willing "drop-down" candidates after losing their respective races, but the body felt a candidate would be better chosen after all members had a chance to further consider the position.
Despite the fact that the board is not yet complete, Tong has ambitious plans for the upcoming year.
"My main goal is to help the UA provide greater ownership for students," Tong said. He added that the first act he would like the UA to undertake is to administer a survey to all undergraduates allowing them to tell the UA what they'd like to see the body work on.
College and Wharton junior Wilson Tong will lead the UA as the body's new chairman. Tong, the current vice chairman for external affairs, is also the first Asian-American chairman in the UA's history.
Other members of the executive board include:
n Executive Vice Chair: College junior Jay Patel
n Vice Chair for External Affairs: College sophomore Zac Byer
n Treasurer: Wharton junior Ben Coulter
n Secretary: Will be elected later this week due to "extenuating circumstances," according to outgoing UA chairman and College senior Jason Karsh.
With a total of seven members running for four positions, the race was slightly less competitive than last year's, when 10 members ran for five positions.
The position of chairman was uncontested, contrary to last year, when it received the most debate. On the other hand, the executive vice chairman and vice chairman for external affairs races were extremely competitive, with both Patel and Byer winning by just a single vote - 9 to 8 with six abstentions in the first race and 11 to 10 with two abstentions in the second.
The position of treasurer was met with less debate, concluding with Coulter winning 17 to 4 with one abstention.
In Tong's first motion as chairman, the race for secretary will be postponed until later this week, as no members had decided to run for the spot before the meeting began. Two members emerged as potential willing "drop-down" candidates after losing their respective races, but the body felt a candidate would be better chosen after all members had a chance to further consider the position.
Despite the fact that the board is not yet complete, Tong has ambitious plans for the upcoming year.
"My main goal is to help the UA provide greater ownership for students," Tong said. He added that the first act he would like the UA to undertake is to administer a survey to all undergraduates allowing them to tell the UA what they'd like to see the body work on.
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