Graduate student participation in U. Senate election doubles, continues trend

After a year of controversial decisions that students said often overlooked their concerns, the University Senate has seen a record number of undergraduate and graduate students vying for a spot in the governing body.

Graduate student elections, which ended last week, saw a more than two-fold increase in applications. Mirroring a trend that began with undergraduates - three times as many undergraduates applied to be a senator, leaving no seat uncontested for the first time in several years.

During the past year several hot-button issues - post-tenure review, prayer at commencement and the proposed Good Samaritan policy, to name a few - have piqued student interest across the board and inspired more students to get involved, senate members said.

"The senate has definitely seen a lot more [graduate student] interest and controversy," said Aaron Tobiason, who was re-elected as a graduate senator. "The debate over post-tenure review specifically, because that issue affects many graduate students who plan to one day work at the university and [masters and doctoral] students who are currently working with advisers."

But of the 35 graduate students who declared candidacy for the university's highest advisory body, only 10 could be elected to serve - including returning graduate senator Tobiason and former undergraduate senator Roberto Munster.

Munster, who won a senate seat in last week's election and serves as Graduate Student Government director of operations, said the nearly 60 percent increase in graduate students running for senate positions is not too surprising due to increased media exposure of senate issues and senate advertising campaigns that targeted graduate students.

"[Senate officials] set out to improve election participation through campus-wide advertisements," Munster said. "35 people were seeking a senate seat, compared with 15 last year, so I'd say it worked."

In previous election seasons, students would log on to Testudo, enter their directory ID and password and manually enter ballot information - name, constituency, address and contact information - and declare either undergraduate or graduate status. Senate Director Reka Montfort said students described the process as "too bulky."

The senate also revamped their voting system by featuring candidates' biographies on the ballot and synchronizing the electronic polling program.

"The new voting system definitely encouraged students to vote," Montfort said. "All [students] had to do was check off the name of the candidate they wanted."

Seven out of the 13 eligible graduate colleges had representatives participate in the senate elections and more than double the number of graduate students, Montfort said, noting she would still like to see more voter participation.

"I do not think all [graduate] students are aware of what the senate does," said Montfort, "It is a [public relations] problem. That is why, with GSG and [the Student Government Association], I would like to advertise more and let people know that we make decisions that advise the university president."

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