In the election for the student seat on UB's University Council, Robert Pape, a senior English major, defeated Reshona George with 78 percent of the 1319 votes.
Pape, who will serve for the 2008-2009 academic year, will also be the temporary representative for the rest of the 2007-2008 term on the council.
Ilia Nossov, the former student representative, was removed from his position after his ineligibility was declared on March 17. The 2008-2009 term will begin officially in July.
Being the connection between the entire student population and the council is the most important part of his position, Pape said.
"I think I provide insight for the council. The council is made up of smart people, but they don't sit in The Commons and chat with 20 undergrads before our meetings," Pape said.
The council is the primary oversight and advisory body for UB. President John B. Simpson, senior university officers, and nine members appointed by the New York State governor for seven-year terms, serve with the student representative.
Pape promises to work in favor of the students using his personal insight when helping the council to make decisions for UB.
"I lived in Ellicott for two years. I have eaten and parked on this campus," Pape said. "When the council is talking about building and changing things, and what we are going to invest in and what programs we are going to have, I can say as someone who knows this campus intimately, here is what I foresee."
A lack of communication between the student representative and the student body leaves many students unaware of what the council offers, Pape said. He wants to change that aspect of his position by bringing the decisions made by the council to the populace.
"It's hard to see the impact of the council because the council works on a grand scale, but I want to come back from those meetings and be able to tell the students through their respective student governments what specifically was addressed," Pape said.
Many students did not participate in this year's UC elections. On Friday, many students in the Student Union did not realize there was an election occurring.
"I didn't vote in this year's elections because I did not know what I was voting for or what the candidate would do once elected. If I had a better idea of what the previous student representative had accomplished I might vote," said Katie Davis, a junior speech pathology major.
Before and during the election, Pape tried to inform students of the election process and what the seat means to them.
"The election for the student seat is hard to promote," Pape said. "I tried to make information about the position a strong part of my campaign, including on my flyers and my Facebook group. For me, educating prospective voters on the job was just as important as educating them about myself."
Eugene Chien, a junior psychology major, did not know the elections were taking place. Nonetheless, he thought it was beneficial to have a student on the council, providing the board with the students' point of view.
"I hope whoever gets elected can bring some logic to that council. I am glad we have someone that will represent us and really knows what it is like to be a student here," Chien said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
