Every semester the University of Colorado Student Union, CU’s student government, holds elections to determine who CU’s next student leaders will be. Controlling over $30 million dollars in student fees, UCSU is the most powerful student union in the nation. They fund and control 12 student cost centers, the largest of which are the UMC, Wardenburg and the Rec Center, and they form and debate policy that guides the campus and its students.
Despite the influence the elected members possess, it is rare for more than 20 percent of CU’s large student population, numbering near 30,000, to vote in the spring election. Fewer than 10 percent of students have historically participated in the fall elections. Two years ago, the number of students voting dipped below 1,000.
The Campus Press will break down the positions, the process and the people in an 11-part series that will run through April 20, the last day of voting. Stay with The Campus Press during this time for developments and results regarding the 2007 UCSU elections.
Through hell and high water the candidates came, but some argue that fair-play was not necessarily in season. However, the results are in, and an excited Unity platform voices their gratification.
The past weeks have been long and arduous for everyone running for a position in the University of Colorado Student Union. As the polls closed on Friday night, the Tri-executive candidates took time to reflect on their experiences throughout the campaign.
UCSU Elections 2007: CP’s 11-day Series
Part 1 | Rules of the race – The ins and outs of CU’s election code
Part 2 | Taking office – The elected officials and what they do
Part 3 | Repeat runners – What they’ve accomplished, why they’re back
Part 4 | An apathetic audience – What UCSU is doing to make you care
Part 5 | Showing support – A look at CU’s student groups and the candidates they endorse
Part 6 | The candidates – An in-depth look at the election hopefuls
Part 7 | The voters – Students who vote, and why they care
Part 8 | Voting trends – A look at the winning tickets of the past, and the stronghold of the campaigners
Part 9 | $30 million strong – An analysis of UCSU and how it differs from other student governments in the region
Part 10 | Autonomy – A look at the 1985 agreement that gave UCSU its power today
Part 11 | The campaign trail – Candidate experiences from the 2007 campaigning process
“It’s been about as amazing as it gets,” Kyle Alan Hawkins, Tri-executive candidate, said in an interview before the release of election results. “We’re just proud that we have represented our homies and the entire student body in this election which certainly hasn’t been done in a long time.”
Hawkins’ running mate, Thomas Nelson Rowe, echoed his partner’s feelings and voiced some of his concerns over the integrity of their competition. Rowe argued against rumors that the Hawkins and Homies ticket planned to shut down the Student Recreation Center and expressed his feelings against alleged negative campaigning.
“There has been a lot of bad campaigning too,” Rowe said in the same interview. “There is a lot of bad publicity that’s going on by the other candidates, I don’t know where it’s coming from. Politics are corrupt, but CU shouldn’t be corrupt.”
In the Connection bowling alley Hawkins and Rowe downed beers to a background of blues and crashing pins. They profusely thanked their families, UCSU and the university before reflecting on the differences from last year’s campaign.
“It started off way better, we were actually on the ballet instead of trying to be a write-in,” Hawkins said. “I’m just happy to come back and show face again and I’m proud of the way it went down.”
The victors of the election, Hadley Brown and Charles Gilford III of the Unity ticket, also reflected back positively on the week.
In a quiet corner of the UMC, away from the celebrating Unity crowd, two of the three newly-elected Tri-executives excitedly shared their feelings on the campaign.
“We worked really, really, really hard and I have to say that throughout, I would check-in with myself on how we were doing, and I had no idea.I mean I thought it was really close the whole time,” Brown said. “Our hard work paid off and I’m glad.”
Gilford continued with a heartfelt expression of his pride and satisfaction.
“This entire election we would wake up at 4:45 in the morning to flier almost every day during the week,” Gilford said just moments after receiving news of the election results. “We would go directly to students and talk to them and express are real, true feelings, esoteric and rhetoric aside. They understood it, and that’s phenomenal. You don’t have to be superficial, because politics often becomes that, and we were just real with people, we made sure were for the people and by the people and just among them. We didn’t try to come across as any type of higher being, we were just ourselves.”
They had no qualms with the election to address and excitedly and profusely thanked their supporters amidst laughter and smiles.
“It was really great to see how many people helped us out during the campaign, that was a lot of why we were successful” Brown said. “The amount people helped us showed how much people supported our ticket.”
Members of the Value ticket were unavailable for comment.
Contact Campus Press staff writer Brandon Springer at brandon.springer@thecampuspress.com.
