John Gillis '07 defeated Zachary Townsend '08 in a runoff election to become president of the Undergraduate Council of Students. The results were announced last night at 12 a.m. on the steps of Faunce House. Gillis will assume the position officially during a ceremony set to take place during the council's general body meeting on May 3.
Kate Brockwehl '08, chair of the UCS Election Board, also announced that Alex Rosenthal '08 had defeated Will Cunningham '07 in a runoff election to become the next vice chair of the Undergraduate Finance Board.
Gillis said he had been "hunting for votes like the Crocodile Hunter" throughout the runoff, which began on Thursday at 10 a.m. and lasted until Friday at 10 p.m. He said he had spent much of the time visiting the Sharpe Refectory, Josiah's and the Gate. He won his last vote at 9:59 p.m. on Friday, he said.
The results of the election were "about as close as it was (in the last election)," said Kate Blockwehl '08, chair of the UCS Election Board. Brockwehl said final vote tallies will not be provided until they are approved by the council.
Brockwehl said 1,828 students voted in the runoff, a turnout she called "fairly impressive" given that the election took place on Thursday and Friday. In the original election, 2,234 students voted.
Regarding future plans, Gillis said his most important goal is to make UCS more approachable. "UCS needs to get back in touch with the student" who has good ideas but doesn't have the time to come to UCS meetings, he said. He also said he wants to increase communications within UCS.
Gillis said he believes his new position will pose many challenges, acknowledging that he needs to familiarize himself with several University issues and details of the council's operations.
"I have a huge challenge to live up to someone like Zac and to live up to someone like (former UCS President Joel Payne '05)," he said.
Gillis also said he plans to reach out to newly elected UCS Vice President Tristan Freeman '07, current President Sarah Saxton-Frump '07 and other members of UCS who supported Townsend.
After the results were announced, Townsend expressed concern about Gillis' ability to identify and advance important issues.
"I agree with him that (the presidency) is going to be a challenge," Townsend said.
The position requires the president to challenge administrators and professors who "want to pull a fast one on students," he said, citing as an example the debate surrounding a proposal to add pluses and minuses to the University's grading system earlier this semester.
"(Gillis will) have to find his own way," said Townsend, who had emphasized his ability to challenge administrators on important issues throughout his campaign.
