Mississippi State University students elected 42 Student Association senators to 25 offices and voted to pass a recusal amendment to the SA Constitution Tuesday. The vote to add the recusal option passed 1,256 to 128. A run-off for freshman class council president between Britney Dupree and Mandy Mason will be held on Tuesday.
SA Vice President Braxton Stowe said the amendment allows SA members to remove themselves from SA involvement to avoid conflicts of interest during elections.
“For example, if a SA member wants to run for SA president next year, he will be able to excuse himself so there is no controversy,” Stowe said.
SA Treasurer Will Moon said the amendment will help eliminate bias from future elections.
“[The amendment] will help clear up gray areas and add concrete foundations to the election process when it comes up in February,” he said
Stowe said 1,433 students voted in this election. Only 1,221 students voted in last year’s election.
“I’ve never seen lines like that before,” he said. “I think we’ll have senators who feel like they’ve worked hard; they are going to work hard for their organization.”
Newly-elected senators campaigned outside of polling locations throughout Tuesday.
College of Business and Industry senator-elect Hunter Futch said he campaigned aggresively, passing stickers and posting fliers.
He said he would like to make navigating the university’s web sites easier.
“I have five websites that I have to use,” he said. “It is really confusing in terms of turning assignments in.”
New graduate school senator-elect Amy Farnsworth told classmates about her campaign.
“I did not do undergrad at Mississippi State, but I looked at it as a great way to get involved with people and to learn more of the traditions of Mississippi State,” she said. “I know Mississippi State is making so many changes right now and it’s going to be fun to be involved in making Mississippi State so much better.”
The new Sessums Hall senator Collette Usry put up fliers and baked cookies for the girls in her dorm.
“I just wanted many different ways to get involved,” Usry said. “I thought this was a really good one to represent my dorm as a whole and vote on bills for my dorm.”
Sorority Row’s new senator Brooke Collins said she would like to work with student affairs.
“I was an orientation leader and I really liked working for the students especially,” she said. “I’m getting a masters in student affairs one day, hopefully.”
“We serve you at MSU,” Stowe said. “The students give us the power. If [the students] don’t want anything done on campus, then we don’t have any power.”