In its first leap into an Associated Student Government election, the Interfraternity Council endorsed Bassel Korkor and Nicole Mash for Tuesday’s campuswide election.
The president of 18 fraternities didn’t endorse candidates for two of the four positions, the student services and academic vice presidents. No candidate for either position could muster the two-thirds vote of all presidents needed for an endorsement.
The group made their endorsement decisions after hearing two-minute speeches from most of the candidates as well as a short question-and-answer period.
“(Fraternity presidents liked Korkor’s and Mash’s) dedication and commitment to fraternity and sorority issues over the last couple years, as well as their qualifications,” said James Troupis, IFC president.
In his speech, Korkor, former president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, promised to take measures to prevent vandalism of fraternity and sorority houses, while Rachel Lopez, who is not in a sorority, emphasized that the audience should vote for non-Greek candidates.
“Just as minority candidates should not just endorse minority candidates, Greek candidates should not just endorse Greek candidates,” said Lopez, a Weinberg junior.
Courtney Brunsfeld, also a non-Greek Weinberg junior, said her experience in other leadership roles is a credential for serving the Greek community as president.
Mash, Sadiya Farooqui and Ben Cherry spoke for the position of executive vice president.
Mash, a Weinberg junior, Alpha Delta Pi member and Panhellenic Association senator, said ASG should build relationships with individual fraternities, not just with IFC.
Farooqui, a Weinberg junior and chairwoman of the Multicultural Center Advisory Board, advocated a need for more Greek involvement in ASG.
Cherry, a Weinberg sophomore and Chapin Hall senator, said that if elected he would increase the autonomy of fraternities by allowing them to determine their own punishments.
Neither academic vice presidential candidate received an endorsement, although both Weinberg sophomore Mike Fong and Speech sophomore Tamara Kagel, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, spoke at the forum.
The only candidate for the office of student services vice president in attendance was Jason Lake, a College Democrats senator and member of Delta Chi fraternity.
