Student Council Elections and Activities Postponed Until Fall

By Kiesse Nanor, Safira Schiowitz and Hansi Zhu

Student Council Adviser Laura Marshall announced the suspension of Student Council activities, elections and official turnovers in an email sent on behalf of the current and incoming Student Council Executive Boards on April 10. 

“The decision to pause club activity was made in order to uphold equity by discouraging exclusion or stress due to lack of available internet access, energy or time,” she said. The suspension of StuCo’s formal activities marks another significant Academy change in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

All spring elections, including class representative elections, have been postponed until Exonians return to campus, primarily due to logistical concerns. “First of all, we’ve never done an online election before.The Elections Committee would have to put in a ton of work, and we don’t know what our elections committee is dealing with at home right now,” Student Council Co-President Charlotte Lisa said. “We don’t want to ask them to undertake this massive project that would give even more stress than they may already be feeling in quarantine.”

Elections Committee Co-Chair Ursie Wise agreed with Lisa, noting that aspects of the elections would be lost due to remote learning. “[The current situation] wouldn't allow for campaigning or signature counting––both vital to PEA's elections system,” Wise said.  

In addition to technical difficulties, Lisa also raised any election’s potential lack of equity.  “Due to different resources that students have at home, like time, energy and the internet, some kids would be able to run a great campaign online, while other kids who may really want to run for class rep won’t be able to,” she said. “That would be incredibly inequitable and would definitely jeopardize the integrity of a Student Council election.”

Prep Representative Tony Cai predicted that it would be difficult for class representatives to make an impression during their campaigns if an online platform was used. “It is hard for voters to hear the platform of the candidates with the current limits [of being in different locations],” he said.

Others do not believe that hosting elections online would impact their campaign. “If I do run again, I don’t think anything will really change between campaigning in the fall versus the spring,” Prep Representative David Kim said.

StuCo’s Executive Board, as well as class representatives, have also made changes to their normal communications and activities. “Prep reps are organizing many remote events and activities both synchronous and asynchronous that keep our prep class connected,” Cai said.

The incoming and graduating Executive Boards are staying as closely connected as possible, according to Co-President Senai Robinson. “Any concern or idea we have about the functions of Student Council and the aid we can provide to students we mention to one another, and then meet during our free time to discuss a plan of action,” he said. This degree of collective action between the Executive Board is unprecedented.

Despite their inability to meet on campus, Student Council continues to voice student concerns and propose solutions. When objections were raised about the packing system for student belongings, the Executive Board had conversations with their advisors about possible alternatives. 

However, Lisa stressed that Student Council’s current action is largely limited to the Executive Board, as part of an effort to curb stress amongst Exonians in an already-stressful time. 

The Executive Board hopes to lift as much strain as they can from the situation. “We are not mandating any other students to pursue Student Council initiatives due to the diverse conditions and circumstances students are in that prohibit equitable experiences,” Robinson said.

For now, however, the Executive Boards, Elections Committee and Class Representatives are working to support the community in any way they can. “Student Council Executive Board ‘21 is looking forward to coming back to campus and reuniting with the Student Council and are creating plans for the next year. Our priority has been this spring term and the current conditions of students,” Robinson said.