The UAID coalition swept the Associated Students of DVC election this week, winning the presidency and six of the other of 10 positions listed on the ballot.
The new executive board is Lindsey St. Hill as president, Ben Prayada as vice president of executive affairs, Cynthia Larasanti as vice president of legislative affairs, Joie Cheung as controller, Alicia Fambrini as secretary, Fiona Kumala as parliamentarian, I Ting Cheng as public relation officer, Adrian Briones as activities coordinator, Shierla Puspitasari as minority affairs officer and Hiu Yan J. (Jocelyn) Leung as webmaster.
The UAID coalition did not run anyone for vice president legislative or public relations officer, but the candidates that won those positions were ones that UAID officially endorsed along with the rest of their slate.
The only position to be filed by a non-UAID affiliated candidate was Fiona Kumala, a member of the BIG (Bold, Interactive and Genuine) coalition, who was elected as parliamentarian.
The election results were announced Thursday after students voiced their opinions at the voting booths this past Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Only 1,201 students out of the more than 20,000 who attend DVC voted on the candidates, and two ballot measures.
Prior to the election, current ASDVC President Bundit Kertbundit’s endorsement of the UAID coalition’s candidates and his involvement in their campaigns became the source of controversy, with the presidential candidates for the two other slates complaining publicly it gave UAID candidates an unfair advantage.
In an interview before the election results were announced, Kertbundit defended his actions as a matter of free speech and political strategy.
“Yes, I represent all students,” Kertbundit said. “The student body president has to be fair and impartial, but I strongly believe I have the right to voice my views.”
A decision on whether ASDVC will continue to allow executive board members to endorse candidates will be debated and voted on before the end of the semester, said Bill Oye, dean of student life.
Students were also asked to vote on two new $1 fees, both of which failed.
The first was a student representation fee that would be charged to students at the beginning of every semester to help pay for members of ASDVC and the Inter Club Council to attend leadership trainings and conferences where they would represent the DVC student body,
The second was a student activities fee that would be used to support the ICC.
“The new fee primarily was to help clubs to put on activities for the students as a whole,” said Katherine Granado, current ASDVC secretary.