University
SC polls draw historic turnout
In the two previous years, candidates were not able to reach the 75% voter requirement resulting in partial and complete electoral failure.
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Breaking its two year streak of electoral failure, Aquinas University’s synchronized and Supreme Student Council (SSC) and College Student Council (CSC) Elections yielded an 86% overall voter turnout on Feb. 1–2, 2016.
Two thousand eighty-two students, out of the 2,414 total student population, voted in the said polls. Official results were released on Feb. 5, 2016.
Angelica Paula P. Vargas, a second year AB Philosophy student, unopposed but garnering 1, 605 votes of the 2,082 overall turnout won the post of SSC President, while the rest of the candidates n her independent slate, likewise unopposed, also satisfied the 75% voter requirement.
AB Communication senior Luence Barcena took the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education Student Council (CASE-SC) presidency over Jerome Eimman Columna, BS Psychology sophomore, by 73 votes. In the College of Health Science (CHS), Robert John Fruto, a second year BS Medical Technology student, gained unopposed victory.
Financial Management junior Amie Grace Buiza raceived 476 votes in the College of Business Management and Accountancy (CBMA), winning the presidential post over Francia Abiera, from the same year and program, with 349 votes. Incumbent SSC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Jose Paolo Bodino, a fourth year BS Electronics and Communications Engineering student, won College of Engineering, Architecture, and Fine Arts (CEAFA) SC presidency unopposed.
Amendments to the electoral code were proposed this year under the leadership of new Comelec chair, Political Science senior, Patrick Joseph Estillomo. The proposal to extend the election period to two days was approved and immediately took effect this year. However, other resolutions proposed by Comelec — transferring the power to nominate appointees in case of electoral failure to the student legislative board from the Office of Student Services (OSS) and the college deans; and lowering the required number of votes from 75% to 60% respectively — were not passed in time because of the legislative board’s lack of quorum.
In the two previous academic years, candidates were not able to reach the 75% voter requirement resulting in partial and complete electoral failure.
■ By Janin Volante
Editor’s Note: This story was first published on March 2016 on print at the Veritatem Issue 2
