For the first time in more than three years, there won’t be a single empty senate seat in Northwestern’s Associated Student Government.
ASG President Claire Lew said filling all 49 senate seats was one of her main goals this term and an issue on which she campaigned last spring.
In the past, there have been as many as four unoccupied seats at any given time throughout the year.
“While that may not seem like a huge deal, it means someone at NU isn’t being represented,” the SESP senior said. “We want to continually improve senate so that students feel it is reflective of their own voices.”
The full senate is a result of a new recruiting strategy, according to Matt Bellassai, vice president of public relations.
“We’re not necessarily selling ASG as ASG but turning it around and saying, whatever your interest is and whatever your passion is, you’ll find that in ASG,” the Medill junior said.
Bellassai said more than 40 candidates ran for the 15 Residential College Board and Residential Hall Association seats.
Lew said she is most pleased about filling all 15 RCB and RHA seats – something that has proved difficult in the past.
Weinberg freshman Danny Kim was one of five new RCB senators elected Sunday. He said he wanted to get involved in student government as soon as possible.
“For me, it’s really about meeting other people,” he said. “It’s about hearing what they want to change, what they like about our school.”
Kim said he ran against five other freshmen in the race for the Slivka Residential College of Science and Engineering/Ayers College of Commerce and Industry seat.
“Our voices need to be heard. There need to be compromises between the administration and the student body,” he said. “As senators, we are easier for students to approach. They can come to us to tell us what’s on their mind.”
Communication freshman Lindsay Barranco said she ran for senate to have the opportunity to improve NU. The Bobb Hall/McCulloch Hall senator wants to represent not just her dorm but the entirety of the NU community.
Lew said the input from senators is valued by both ASG and the administration.
“The importance that we as an organization place on senators is huge,” she said. “The person filling the role of senator must be truly equipped to be the voice of the students that they’re representing.”
Lew said she hopes future senate elections will be as successful as this one.
“We did a really good job this year, and I want to carry that momentum,” she said.
