Three sophomores - Ariana Flores, Shaunik Panse, and Randy Newsom - were elected yesterday to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate, taking the seats vacated by seniors Michele Shelton and Erin Ross, and junior Kathryn Klencheski.
Flores, Panse, and Newsom won yesterday's election over nine other candidates. Of the 503 votes sophomores cast in the campus center, Flores and Panse each received over 100 votes. Newsom received more than 90.
The seats were originally open to two seniors and one junior, but after no upperclassmen showed interest, the Elections Board offered the positions to sophomore students.
Although not active in student government, the new senators have participated in other campus activities. Flores participated in the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) and Panse is a Resident Assistant (RA). Newsom plays for the football and baseball teams and is active in the Big Brothers of America program.
Current senators said the number of candidates in the race indicates active participation by the sophomore class. "It showed me that a lot of people were passionate about [issues]," Senate President Eric Greenberg said.
The new senators outlined some future projects at last Monday's candidates' open forum. Newsom said he will organize surveys to monitor student opinion and hopes to increase student participation in the Senate.
At the open forum, Panse listed a number of pet projects, including procuring more computers for dorms and the campus center, creating a 24-hour study space, and improving resources to help students find off-campus housing.
Flores said she wants to give a voice to "the unheard voices" on campus. She plans to work with another candidate, Abbey Moffat, to create a Senate culture representative position for the Women's Center. Moffat is the co-chair of Tufts Feminist Alliance.
Both Panse and Flores said they are concerned about the Senate's stance on the sexual harassment complaint by SLAM leader Iris Halpern against the The Primary Source. Last Monday, Senator Pritesh Gandhi proposed a resolution condemning the Source and asking for clarification on the sexual harassment policy from the administration. The resolution failed and some senators questioned whether the Senate should be involved in the issue.
"It is definitely a Senate issue because... we have a sexual harassment policy that is not backed up by the University," Flores said. "To say it is not a Senate issue when it directly effects the student body is totally wrong."
The new senators will be introduced to the body and its procedures at this week's general board meeting with Senate Vice President Melissa Carson and committee chairs. The executive board will also attend the meeting, "so that people can answer their questions and all the committee chairs explain what their committees do," Carson said.
Although the new senators have missed the first two months of proceedings, they say it will not hinder their ability to be effective leaders. "All of the three have a vision," Greenberg said. "They seem experienced enough in their own way. They're used to working in the group setting so as not hurt their ability."
