In an event that will likely affect how the Coed Fraternity and Sorority Council reacts to the imminent steering committee recommendations on the Student Life Initiative, the Greek body will hold its annual elections for executive positions tonight.
The number of students who will run for positions on the executive committee remains unknown, as official candidacies will not be declared until just before the actual election. In recent years, though, about 15 students, all nominated by the presidents of their Greek houses, have run for the six positions.
Jaimie Paul '00, current president of the CFSC, said tomorrow's election could mean important changes. "All the executive positions are open," she said, "and the new council will decide completely on their own how the CFSC will deal with the report."
Last Winter term, in the aftermath of the Trustees' release of their five guiding principles, the CFSC played a crucial role in organizing student protests, holding demonstrations and canceling Greek parties during the Winter Carnival weekend.
The current CFSC executive committee will not abandon its role immediately, but will instead serve as consultants to the incoming leaders.
Continuity will also remain in the leadership of many individual Greek houses, as a majority of house presidents will keep their positions throughout the Winter term. Additionally, several former presidents will once again serve this term and returning from off-terms.
While floor nominations immediately prior to the vote will determine who is officially running, pre-election rumors usually swirl around well-known Greek students.
Eric Etu '01, a member of Sigma Psi Epsilon and summer secretary of the CFSC, announced to The Dartmouth last night his intention to run. However, Summer term CFSC programming chair Andy Hay '01 said he has no intention of running, and CFSC summer President and Vice-President JoJo Adofo-Mensah '01 and Alex Wilson '01 could not be reached for comment.
Etu described how he thought the new CFSC leadership should respond to the steering committee's recommendations: "I'm not looking to fight the proposal, but to take it as positive suggestions and ways we can make it better," he said. "I want to see the CFSC bring about pro-active, as opposed to reactive change."
In addition to the presidency of the executive committee, students will run for the positions of vice president, treasurer, programming liaison, secretary and events manager. They will be replacing Chris Paolino '00, Kevan Higgins '00, Mike Orchowski '00, Allison Thomas '00 and Chris Burnett '01, respectively.
In other related elections, the Inter-Fraternity Council will change leadership on January 11 while the Panhellenic Council, the sorority umbrella organization, will do the same this Sunday.
