Citing low turnout at elections for the Black Student Alliance 2000-2001 executive board, BSA president-elect Michael Costa vowed to alleviate the "rampant apathy" he believes the University's black community has been demonstrating.
Elections were held last night in Minor Hall with about 15 students in attendance.
"There is a crisis ... throughout the black student population," Costa said in his speech.
Costa's condemnation of the perceived lack of activism within the black community evidently registered with BSA members - they elected Costa, a third-year College student, as their president minutes later.
Second-year College students Monique Miles and Chelsea Willis ran together as co-presidents against Costa. Except for director of representatives, all other BSA positions were uncontested.
BSA members elected first-year College student Brandon Woods director of issues. First-year Engineering student Consuelo Kendall was chosen as director of representatives. Second-year College student Darin Simmons Jr. is the new director of publicity, and second-year College student Kristina Landis McClain-Jacobson will serve as director of service. Second-year College student Tamara Holmes was voted director of programming, while first-year College student Elisa Dobbins was elected chief financial officer.
Costa said the BSA has earned a reputation this year as being an organization that does not take a proactive stance on important issues. He said overturning this reputation will be his greatest challenge as president. Issues such as affirmative action and accusations of racial bias within the honor system remain significant concerns, he added.
Director of representatives-elect Kendall said she intends to help "get BSA back on its feet" by augmenting programming and events for the black community next year.
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