First-year College student Lauren Purnell was elected by members of the College Advisory Board to fill an open Student Council seat last night.
College Rep. Rob Williams, who now holds the position, will be forced to resign from his post next semester because he will be studying abroad in Germany. His one-year term ends next spring.
Students in the College passed a referendum last month which allowed the members of the Board to make appointments if seats become vacant, College Advisory Board President Matt Rose said.
Prior to that referendum, members of the College Advisory Board's Executive Committee reviewed candidates' applications and chose a representative themselves. There was no Board-wide vote involved, Rose said.
"The election [last night] was a success and I think Lauren will represent her class and all classes well," he said.
In her speech, which was limited to three minutes and followed by a two-minute period for audience questions, Purnell outlined her main goals as a College representative.
She suggested funding a larger activities announcements section in The Cavalier Daily, as well as increasing student participation in the study abroad program.
If more students studied abroad, it could "ease some of the cultural differences" on Grounds, she said.
Purnell now serves as historian for the College Advisory Board, a position in which she hopes to serve as a liaison between the College and Student Council.
"I hope that Lauren continues her promise to be a strong link between Student Council and the College Advisory Board," Rose said.
All seven candidates who ran for the open seat primarily focused on safety concerns in their platforms. Many different suggestions were presented to improve safety at the University.
"There should be more rooms across campus that are all-night study rooms," said third-year College student and candidate Abigail Davis, who lost to Purnell in a run-off election. "This would be better than going across campus to the library."
Several of the candidates offered their support for opening Clemons Library for 24 hours, a resolution Student Council recently passed. Many candidates also mentioned the need for brighter lighting around Grounds and a more efficient Escort Service.
Members of the College Advisory Board said they thought the new system of filling the vacant seat worked well, saying it allowed more students to become involved in the selection process. About 40 students voted in last night's election.
"This was a good way to see how the College would vote without having a full election," said Jean Zachariasiewicz, third-year College student and Board member. "It was also a good way for the College Advisory Board to get noticed -- I think we're often overlooked"
Read More
U.Va. Alumni Association submits plans for new Alumni Hall building
By Caroline Hagood | 16 hours agoWest said that despite the proposal moving through City Council’s review process, the project is still years away from becoming a reality.
Graduating student leaders reflect on how they impacted the University community
By Jackie Bond and Brandon Kile | YesterdayAccording to Lilian Rojas, Board of Visitors student representative and fourth-year Batten student, the Class of 2024 is defined by its resilience.
D.C. baseball legend Ryan Zimmerman to deliver keynote Valedictory address
By Xander Tilock | 2 days agoFamously nicknamed “Mr. National” for his many contributions to the Washington, D.C. franchise, Zimmerman is considered one of the most successful alumni in Virginia baseball history.
