The interim staff will lead USG as the fall elections commence. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Former Photo Editor
The University Student Government (USG) is experiencing an unprecedented election season after the spring race failed to appoint a new staff due to an investigation into the election.
USG will hold a re-election in the fall, but before the new race is held and the results are announced, an interim staff will keep USG running. Here is what to expect from the interim administration.
In a statement released on Instagram, the interim administration stated that its goal is to maintain the organization as usual while remaining transparent to students.
“As we await the results of the fall election and the appointment of the next USG leadership, our organization will remain operational and committed to serving students under an interim administration,” USG said in the statement.
George Bernard, incoming third-year in finance and information systems and interim vice president, said USG plans to keep the organization similar to what students are used to, despite transitioning staff and the fall election to maintain consistency this fall.
“We’re making sure that from what students experience and their interaction with USG,” Bernard said. “There’s no real difference, and that we’re still providing service and functions that students have come to rely upon USG to provide.”
Bernard said most of the fall semester programming will remain the same, including Buckeye Road Trip and airport shuttles.
The staff also released an external feedback form for their interim period, plan to host focus groups and ensure USG’s transparency and accessibility for students, according to the post.
“USG will continue to stand with students and work to uphold the values of representation, integrity and accountability in all that we do,” USG said in the statement.
The interim staff were not elected into their position. Instead, they were chosen depending on their former position from this past year, replacing the empty spots of those who graduated.
Bernard was the chief of staff this past school year. Justin Robinson, an incoming fifth-year in strategic communications and former vice president, filled the interim presidential spot after Bobby McAlpine, former USG president, graduated, Bernard said.
The spring election results were nullified after Melissa Shivers, senior vice president for the Office of Student Life, said in an email obtained by the Lantern that the race had multiple “procedural errors and inconsistencies throughout the election process.”
Every candidate was accused of misconduct, and some were even found guilty of harassment and belittlement. Additionally, Oliver Griffith and Daizhon Cox were disqualified from the race but are allowed to run again in the upcoming election, per prior Lantern reporting.
Leading up to this new election, the Rossing-Noma campaign announced that it would not be running.
The Griffith-More, Cox and Almuti-Jasim campaigns have yet to officially declare if they are running in the fall.
Candidates may begin petitioning on Aug. 26.
Voting for the USG fall election will begin on Sept. 17 and close on Sept. 19. To learn more about the upcoming election, view USG’s timeline.
