Low voter turnout for student elections

Of the 9,808 students who attend the Marysville campus, 85 voted in the recent Yuba College student government elections, yielding less than one percent (.86) voter turnout. That is 50.14 percent below the nation’s average voter turnout for the United States’ presidential elections. Receiving 60 votes, Monica Kurowski was elected President of the Associated Students of Yuba College for the 2003-2004 academic year. Running uncontested, Zachary Dionne was elected as ASYC Vice President, Kim Howitt as District Student Trustee, and Amanda Clickenbeard and Yaneli Garcia were elected Senators. The ASYC bylaws permit one senator per 1,000 students to be elected at Yuba College. The positions of ASYC Secretary, Business Director, Activities Director and Communications Director remain unfilled.Held Monday April 21 through Wednesday April 23 at a voting station set up in the Cafeteria, the student elections followed a five-day campaigning period, highlighted Thursday, April 17, by speeches from the candidates running for next year’s offices. With the exception of Amanda Clickenbeard, who did not attend the candidate speeches nor has not yet indicated her acceptance of the Senate position, the candidates spoke Thursday before a small audience of five students in the Campus Life Plaza.In her speech Kurowski gave students an idea of what she plans to accomplish as president. She began her speech by stating, “We want to be a strong college of strong students.” She said that she plans to do this by strengthening students rather than giving orders. In an interview with The Prospector after the speech, Kurowski outlined her three major goals for next year’s ASYC administration as increasing student involvement, providing more activities for students and increasing fundraising efforts. She also believes that she can tackle the lack of publicity of events, an issue for which this year’s ASYC administration has been greatly criticized, by making signs that stand out and by telling everyone in all her classes about activities and other events.Kurowski’s opposition for president, Kim Howitt, campaigned by bringing up the issue of the state budget crisis and the effects that it could have on student activities at the Yuba College Marysville campus. She emphasized that because of this she believes that next year’s ASYC administration needs to “make some changes in the way we raise money.” Although not elected to the position of president, Howitt did accept the position of District Student Trustee, allowing her to accomplish many of her goals. Dionne, although he ran un-opposed for vice president, delivered a speech Thursday, April 17, as well, urging the student of Yuba College to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections. He said, “I don’t want to change the world; I just want to change Yuba College.” Yuba College students are ready for the change in the officers and policies of the ASYC. Yuba College freshman Dan Martin has been frustrated this year with the lack of information that has come out of the ASYC concerning events. He said, “Next year’s officers need to make themselves known to the students, so that if students do have ideas for the school, they can tell (the representatives). They should let others know who they are.” Freshman Stephanie Stockton agreed, saying that the biggest issues for next year’s officers are “increasing student involvement in school activities and publicizing school activities so the people will know when they are.” Freshman Jennifer Dodson said that in voting for next year’s officers she was looking for “someone who is responsible and takes the time to know what students want.”The unfilled positions of ASYC Secretary, Business Director, Activities Director and Communications Director will be appointed by the 2003-2004 ASYC administration in the Fall. Students wishing to apply for these positions can do so by obtaining an application from the Campus Life Office, after which they will be interviewed, and the final decision will be made during a regularly held ASYC meeting at the beginning of next semester.