SCCOCC election race enters runoff

A runoff election to determine the student co-chair of the Community Council (SCOCC) will occur today starting at 5 p.m. and will continue until tomorrow, April 30, at 5 p.m. Since none of the three candidates — Janet Rodrigues ’12, Ray Queliz ’12 or Kevin Broussard ’11 — received more than 50 percent of the original vote, which occurred last week, this second round will determine which of the two candidates who received the most votes, Rodrigues and Queliz, will win.

In the first round of voting last week, 622 students voted, and Rodrigues and Queliz garnered 271 and 248 votes each, respectively. The run-off will take place concurrently with the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate election.

The Community Council, a heterogeneous governing body composed of administration, faculty, staff and students, oversees and makes decisions on policies and issues pertaining primarily to the nonacademic life of the College. Areas falling under the purview of the Council include the social house and academic interest house system, the Community Judicial Board and the Academic Judicial Board.

The SCOCC is the only elected position on the Community Council.

Rodrigues described the voter turnout at Middlebury elections in general as “pretty embarrassing” and “a sad reality,” though she did express satisfaction with the turnout at last week’s SCOCC election. Queliz, on the other hand, was a bit more dissatisfied.

“I was surprised at the low voter turnout,” said Queliz.

“I think that there was a low voter turnout because the majority of the campus is unaware of the work that Community Council does.”

Molly Dwyer ’10, the current SCOCC, offered a different possible explanation for this year’s turnout at the polls.

“I think voter turnout was low this year because SGA decided to hold the SCOCC elections separately from the SGA presidential elections, so attention was diffused between the two,” she said.

Regardless of the many factors that might lie behind the voter turnout or the closeness of the race, both Dwyer and the two candidates emphasized the importance of the SCOCC position and of Community Council as a whole, and therefore the importance of student activism in today’s election.

“Community Council is the only organization with input from students, faculty and staff and that’s what makes it such a unique group,” said Queliz.

Rodrigues stressed the significance of the SCOCC’s responsibility to represent and reflect the will of the student community.

“I feel I have, like many other students, been indoctrinated to question the role of the government or “the man,” but … on Community Council I have found that my thoughts are valued,” she said.

The winner of the election will be expected to be a strong representative of the student body in conversations with the administration, trustees, faculty and staff,” said Dwyer.

“Community council has made and will continue to make important decisions that will affect the quality of life here in the Middlebury community.”