The original version of this article contained an error and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for additional information.
Bruins United will again hold the majority in undergraduate student government, but with no opposing slate in next year’s council.
The council will be composed of eight members of Bruins United and five independent candidates. Last year marked Bruins United’s first majority since 2007. The council usually consists of a majority of Students First! officers, but the coalition did not participate in this year’s elections.
Thursday’s results may alleviate campus concerns about a council made up almost solely of a single political view. A slate composed almost entirely of Bruins United candidates could have posed an issue when it comes to meeting student concerns, said Berky Nelson, an administrative representative for the Undergraduate Students Association Council who has sat on council for more than 10 years.
Nelson said the council is going into “uncharted territory” with a council composed of only one slate with a minority independent presence.
“There could be the possibility of flying blindly without knowing if you are serving the needs of all students,” Nelson said.
Students said during election week they wish they had more candidate choices.
“They won’t be able to represent every student,” said Kris Rattivat, a fifth-year psychology student.
A council majority of a single slate is not unprecedented, though an election with so many uncontested positions is, said Mike Cohn, associate director of the Center for Student Programming and a past Election Board adviser.
“As disappointing as it is not to have my running mates win, as a council we will benefit from different views; serving on council this year would not have been the same with 10 (Bruins United) or 10 (Students First!) members,” said Michael Starr, who ran uncontested for the general representative position.
R.J. Jimenez, a third-year political science student who campaigned for independent candidates Lana Habib El-Farra and Taylor Mason, said he expects more agreement within the incoming council.
He echoed Nelson, however, that a highly dominant majority would have difficulty representing and reaching out to all areas of the student body.
Gregory Cendana was the internal vice president of the 2006-2007 council as a Students First! member. That year’s council was split between five Students First!, five Bruins United and three independent officers.
During that year, he said there was a significant amount of dialogue and compromise.
Cendana said he challenges student groups next year to keep a close eye on the incoming council and hold it accountable to the communities USAC serves and represents.
Andrea “Andi” Hester, who was elected internal vice president Thursday as an uncontested candidate with Bruins United, acknowledged that next year’s council needs to reach out to student groups.
But student groups also need to reach out to the council, Hester added.
“It’s a two-way street,” she said.
Contributing reports by Jillian Beck, Erin Donnelly and Stephen Stewart, Bruin reporters.
Correction: Kris Rattivat’s year was wrong. He is a fifth-year student.