2008 Woodie Awards
Complaints Stall ASU Election
ASU president will try new approach with Executive Council.
Zabie Mansoory
Issue date: 4/27/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The announcement of the Associated Student Union's next president was delayed Tuesday due to accusations of polling improprieties.
Complaints were filed with the ASU, including claims that candidates and their supporters violated election rules by campaigning in restricted areas during the voting process.
"We will hold a hearing on Friday to listen to the complaints before we make any decision," said ASU Adviser Sherri Rodriguez.
The four presidential candidates include Theresa Chavez, Nelli Martirosyan, Olivia Njuki and Adam Park. The campus will have to wait at least until Friday, when the ASU will hold a closed hearing, to see if the beleaguered student government can sort through the election mess and announce its next president.
Chavez, the current ASU fine arts commissioner, was one of the students who complained about the election.
"I was verbally attacked by one of Nelli's [Martirosyan] campaign helpers," Chavez said. "I felt like there was a mafia surrounding me."
The Valley Star was unable to reach the other candidates for comment and the ASU declined to release the formal complaints, saying the complaints and Friday's hearing are confidential.
The ASU's latest problems come on the heels of the Executive Board recalling President Levon Bagramian. At last week's ASU meeting, Bagramian announced his resignation and then the board recalled him. The Executive Board's recall petition said that Bagramian had five unexcused absences from both the ASU Finance Committee meetings and the Los Angles Community College District student affairs meetings. The document also said that Bagramian threatened several ASU members, telling a fellow ASU officer to "shut up" during a club function. Bagramian was unavailable for comment after the meeting.
However, some students don't agree with the way the battle between the Executive Board and its president was handled.
Denise Mendez, former ASU member said it might not be a good idea to let current ASU members run for president because they might bring old problems to a new election. That is the opposite of what some think hurt the Bagramian presidency. Some sitting ASU members had objected to his victory on the grounds that Armenian students had voted for him only because of his Armenian heritage.
Election Results:
Vice President: Gayane Markosyan
Treasurer: Gayane Avakian
Campus & Environmental Affairs: Rachel Davis
Ethic & Cultural Affairs: Syuzanna Adamyan
Evening Division: Nvard Oganesyan
Fine Arts: Hallie Baran
Political Affairs: Vardan Pzdikyan
Public Relations: Tatevik Vardanyan
Students & Social Affiars: Melik Melikyan
Complaints were filed with the ASU, including claims that candidates and their supporters violated election rules by campaigning in restricted areas during the voting process.
"We will hold a hearing on Friday to listen to the complaints before we make any decision," said ASU Adviser Sherri Rodriguez.
The four presidential candidates include Theresa Chavez, Nelli Martirosyan, Olivia Njuki and Adam Park. The campus will have to wait at least until Friday, when the ASU will hold a closed hearing, to see if the beleaguered student government can sort through the election mess and announce its next president.
Chavez, the current ASU fine arts commissioner, was one of the students who complained about the election.
"I was verbally attacked by one of Nelli's [Martirosyan] campaign helpers," Chavez said. "I felt like there was a mafia surrounding me."
The Valley Star was unable to reach the other candidates for comment and the ASU declined to release the formal complaints, saying the complaints and Friday's hearing are confidential.
The ASU's latest problems come on the heels of the Executive Board recalling President Levon Bagramian. At last week's ASU meeting, Bagramian announced his resignation and then the board recalled him. The Executive Board's recall petition said that Bagramian had five unexcused absences from both the ASU Finance Committee meetings and the Los Angles Community College District student affairs meetings. The document also said that Bagramian threatened several ASU members, telling a fellow ASU officer to "shut up" during a club function. Bagramian was unavailable for comment after the meeting.
However, some students don't agree with the way the battle between the Executive Board and its president was handled.
Denise Mendez, former ASU member said it might not be a good idea to let current ASU members run for president because they might bring old problems to a new election. That is the opposite of what some think hurt the Bagramian presidency. Some sitting ASU members had objected to his victory on the grounds that Armenian students had voted for him only because of his Armenian heritage.
Election Results:
Vice President: Gayane Markosyan
Treasurer: Gayane Avakian
Campus & Environmental Affairs: Rachel Davis
Ethic & Cultural Affairs: Syuzanna Adamyan
Evening Division: Nvard Oganesyan
Fine Arts: Hallie Baran
Political Affairs: Vardan Pzdikyan
Public Relations: Tatevik Vardanyan
Students & Social Affiars: Melik Melikyan
