Though several ASSU senators told The Daily they planned to bring the results of the election up for discussion to the Undergraduate Senate, last night’s meeting proceeded largely without event. The meeting was the last official session of the eighth Undergraduate Senate.

Enlarge
#gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/7354
Joel Lewenstein

Incoming ASSU Executives Hershey Avula '08 and Mondaire Jones '09 confer during last night's ASSU meeting.

Enlarge
#gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/7355
Joel Lewenstein

ASSU Senator Bernard Fraga, '08, laughs as technical difficulties prevent him from Skyping in a missing senator Vang Kou Khang to join in the discussion.

Senator Nabill Idrisi ‘09, who previously told The Daily that he viewed the runoff discussion at the Apr. 17 meeting as cursory and pressured, proposed last night that the Senate spend more time discussing a potential runoff.

“During last week’s meeting, I didn’t realize clearly what the constitution said,” he said. “I had some concerns with how the discussion went.”

Senator Valerie Villarreal ‘07 disagreed.

“We all read what was in The Daily,” she said. “These issues about the urgency or the haste could have been brought forward when we actually voted. We were talking for 15 to 20 minutes about it. I understood what was going on. I’m at a loss for understanding where there was any haste, or where the pressure was.”

Senator Marcelo Worsley ‘07, co-chair of the Administrations and Rules Committee, said that he had spoken with Graduate Student Council member Adam Beberg. He said that Beberg had been in discussion with ASSU founders, who said that the instant runoff system was sufficient and fair.

“I think it’s important to note that this is one person’s interpretation,” responded former Elections Commissioner Troy Steinmetz ‘07. “For instance, Bernard [Fraga ‘08] had a different interpretation of the constitution, as do I.”

Senators then discussed their concerns about considering online abstentions as conscious statements of abstention or as the absence of votes from people who were primarily concerned with other issues on the ballot.

The meeting moved forward without motion to revote on the runoff.

At the end of the meeting, incoming Senator Luukas Ilves ‘09 pointed out that the ASSU Bylaws state that the Senate should convene for the last time following the meeting in which they certify the election results. ASSU President-elect Hershey Avula ‘08 asked why the Senate had not heeded this rule last year, and the Senate proceeded to debate the challenges of an immediate transition.

“There is a practical advantage in waiting a few days before we get down to business,” said incoming senator Priyanka Sharma ‘09. “I feel that we’ll function well when we know a little more. Seeing a few meetings and just waiting a little while will be good for us.”

New senators will undergo training sessions and select a new Chair over the course of the coming week. The new Senate will be sworn in at next Tuesday’s meeting.