Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

Poor Turnout for CAFNR Student Council Elections
Amanda Schad, CAFNR Corner Post

The College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources recently held its annual student council election. Despite receiving emails from the Dean’s Office encouraging students to get involved in the election, the response was less than enthusiastic. Fewer than five percent of CAFNR students showed up at the polls during the two day voting period.

“ It looked like people don’t care,” said Megan Perry, sophomore, agricultural journalism major.

Student apathy wasn’t only apparent in voter turnout. Choices on the ballot were limited, too.

“ I’m disappointed there are only one [person] running from each major,” said Heather Shauck, Sophomore agricultural business.

All of the majors had one person running to represent them, except plant science. Freshman plant science major Heather Mino said, “I should have stepped up and took the responsibility,” after she discovered her major had no candidate on the ballot. “It kinda leaves you wondering, ‘Does anyone take initiative?”

Jared VerDught, organizer of the elections, said it is hard to get people actively involved in the student council. Many students are busy with school and other organizations. To combat this problem the voting period was extended to two days. Other excuses included lack of knowledge, but VerDught countered this argument with the fact that an email was sent from the Dean’s office to all CAFNR students and fliers advertising the event were posted around the Agriculture Building.

Despite lacking in quantity, the new slate makes up for it in quality. Congratulations to those 24 students who ran and were elected to the CAFNR Student Council for the upcoming year.

Results of the 2003 CAFNR Elections are as follows:
Freshman Class
Megan Fox
Ryan Wolfe
Maranda Taylor
Robert Caleb Colbert

Sophomore Class
Luke Thurman
Hannah White
Tiffany Crews
Cody Brock

Junior Class
Jessica Lehenbauer
Kristin Clarke
Jared VerDught
Sara Rechterman

Senior Class
Morgan Scheiderer

Agriculture Business
Cory Robinson

Biochemistry
Gretchen Stiefel

Agriculture Economics
Joe Don McGaugh

Fisheries and Wildlife
Jason Stockwell

Agriculture Education
Cord Jenkins

Food Science
Stacey Werr

Agriculture Journalism
Lacy Jewell

General Agriculture
Alex Clark

Agriculture Systems Management
Adam Paul Thomas

Hotel and Restaurant Management
Kevin Ruzica

Animal Science
Mindy Montgomery

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