UMEC fails to fill exec seats; council seeks new candidates

By Johanna Wetmore

Daily Staff Reporter

Although the elections for the University's Engineering Council five-member executive board begin tomorrow, those running a last-minute campaign may still have a chance to win a seat.

"There are currently no official candidates for secretary or treasurer," said Current Executive Board President Brandon Chesla. The senior said students could win those seats with a write-in campaign by capturing at least 10 percent of the vote.

Current UMEC treasurer Bob Krentler, who is pursuing UMEC's presidency, said candidacy bids have progressively thinned out over the past few years.

"I remember as a sophomore that every position was at least 3 candidates deep," he said.

When Krentler ran for treasurer last year, all positions except secretary were contested. "There's a significant work requirement with UMEC," said Krentler, citing work as one reason for low candidacy turnout for the executive board offices.

"Places like Purdue and Wisconsin pay their Engineering Council officers a stipend" which brings more candidates to the table, he said, but added that he doesn't think the positions should be paid. "Students should do it for the good of students rather than just for resume building," he said.

Currently only two candidates have made a bid for president and one for each of the two vice presidential seats. Those spots not filled in the general election will be filled during the first UMEC meeting in January.

Jeanine Chan, the only internal vice presidential candidate, said she doesn't know why there isn't more competition for executive board positions.

"I'm not thrilled there wasn't more interest in it."

Chan, a junior, said she wishes there were more people who had UMEC experience volunteering for executive board positions.

While Chesla said he feels it is a bit exceptional for the council to have to elect two positions at the first meeting, he is "not at all uncomfortable to have the UMEC body select." Regardless of the short ballot, Chesla said he anticipates voter turnout similar to last year. About 500 engineering students voted over the course of the two-day elections.

For the convenience of the students, UMEC plans to set up computer polling centers between the Media Union and Pierpont Commons and to hand out sucker-incentives to turn out the vote.

The UMEC executive board elections along with the MSA and LSA-SG elections will begin at midnight tonight and run until 11:59 pm on Thursday at www.umich.edu/~vote.