2008 Woodie Awards
Pomerleau re-elected to second term
Incumbent student body president wins with 50.5 percent of vote
Heather Steeves
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: News
William Pomerleau, President of the General Student Body (GSB), won 375 votes on Monday winning his seat for another term. Sen. Sean Rankin received 267 out of the 743 total votes.
Pomerleau was pleased with his re-election and said that he plans to support the Zipcar program, student lobbying at the state level and increasing Student Government's visibility. He would also like to address the issue of faculty and staff parking. According to Pomerleau, blue parking passes can park in most lots but students are more restricted. He said he would like to see parking try to benefit the students more. He also plans to establish a scholarship which will go to a student leader and lobby for tax-free text books.
Steven Moran, Vice President of the GSB, said he is also happy to be re-elected. He ran without competition.
"I'd like to think of it as a vote of approval for myself," Moran said. "It's not as much of a glory job. I like to hope that it's a voice of approval for the job that I'm doing."
He said that he would like to promote student lobbying, including taking busloads of students to the state Legislature to address student ideas and concerns. He also plans to create a meet-and-greet breakfast every two weeks for students to meet their senators.
Sen. Sean Rankin, who ran against Pomerleau, lost by a margin of 108 votes. "I think the wrong candidate won. My goals were to see the betterment of Student Government, and I do not see that happening under Bill's leadership," Rankin said. "Whoever was the lesser of this election really got shafted in a sense, because weather had never played a factor on elections before. I think there's going to be some changes done to the elections in the future that might prevent such a low turnout."
There had been controversy over the FEPC debate in which the candidates wrote 15 of their own questions. Pomerleau said that he thought the election was balanced.
"[Rankin] could have asked me various questions outside of 'what is your favorite animal?' and that didn't happen and, it isn't my fault," Pomerleau said. Pomerleau admitted to knowing people involved in running the debate. "The comments about cronyism and whatnot: I've been president for a semester, vice president for a semester before that. I have to know the heads of many organizations; We have to work together, and when you work together, you develop relationships."
Pomerleau was pleased with his re-election and said that he plans to support the Zipcar program, student lobbying at the state level and increasing Student Government's visibility. He would also like to address the issue of faculty and staff parking. According to Pomerleau, blue parking passes can park in most lots but students are more restricted. He said he would like to see parking try to benefit the students more. He also plans to establish a scholarship which will go to a student leader and lobby for tax-free text books.
Steven Moran, Vice President of the GSB, said he is also happy to be re-elected. He ran without competition.
"I'd like to think of it as a vote of approval for myself," Moran said. "It's not as much of a glory job. I like to hope that it's a voice of approval for the job that I'm doing."
He said that he would like to promote student lobbying, including taking busloads of students to the state Legislature to address student ideas and concerns. He also plans to create a meet-and-greet breakfast every two weeks for students to meet their senators.
Sen. Sean Rankin, who ran against Pomerleau, lost by a margin of 108 votes. "I think the wrong candidate won. My goals were to see the betterment of Student Government, and I do not see that happening under Bill's leadership," Rankin said. "Whoever was the lesser of this election really got shafted in a sense, because weather had never played a factor on elections before. I think there's going to be some changes done to the elections in the future that might prevent such a low turnout."
There had been controversy over the FEPC debate in which the candidates wrote 15 of their own questions. Pomerleau said that he thought the election was balanced.
"[Rankin] could have asked me various questions outside of 'what is your favorite animal?' and that didn't happen and, it isn't my fault," Pomerleau said. Pomerleau admitted to knowing people involved in running the debate. "The comments about cronyism and whatnot: I've been president for a semester, vice president for a semester before that. I have to know the heads of many organizations; We have to work together, and when you work together, you develop relationships."
Be the first to comment on this story