November 7, 2005

Panhel Elects Executive Board

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The Panhellenic Association held elections for the 2006 executive board in Goldwin Smith yesterday.

The newly elected Panhellenic officers include: Kappa Delta’s Katie Seeley ’07, president; Alpha Epsilon Phi’s Morgan Tucker ’07, executive vice president; Delta Gamma’s Ari Saunders ’07, vice president of communication; Kappa Alpha Theta’s Pooja Shendure ’08, vice president of finance; Alpha Omicron Pi’s Anna Richardson ’07, vice president of formal membership recruitment; Pi Beta Phi’s Opal Hammer ’07, vice president of judicial affairs and standards; Alpha Chi Omega’s Jaime Sackett ’07, vice president of programming; Delta Delta Delta’s Jillian Dorans ’07, vice president of recruitment, publicity, and extension; and Sigma Delta Tau’s Rachel Goldfarb ’07, vice president of university and community relations.

Members of all Panhellenic chapters were present to vote on the proposed slate for the new executive board. Ten members from each chapter were required to be present at the slating in order to vote for the board.

The proposed slate was announced, and any applicant who did not receive a position was able to contest the slate in front of each chapter. After nearly three hours of contestation from candidates, the final slate was approved.

Liz Durkin ’06, the vice president of judicial affairs and standards ran the election process for the Panhellenic Association.

“I’m extremely pleased with the way tonight’s elections went. It’s always great to see all the faces of our members in one room to help shape the next year’s board,” Durkin said.

The slating committee met Tuesday through Friday of last week to choose a strong, influential group of women to represent the Panhellenic Association.

“We met for hours each day last week to interview each of the candidates and then chose the strongest slate possible,” Durkin said. “We had 26 applicants for only 9 positions. This shows how strong the image of the Panhellenic Association and the executive board really is.”

All 26 potential candidates were interviewed last week by members of the outgoing executive board as well as delegates from each chapter.

The slating committee looked for enthusiastic leaders who would represent the Panhellenic Association in the Ithaca and Cornell community.

“The entire outgoing executive board is very proud of the new slate and all they have accomplished for their individual chapters,” Durkin said. “We know they will move the Greek system to great heights next year.”

“It definitely speaks to the quality of the candidates that we had so many people contest our slate. So many wonderful candidates were eager to be on board,” she said.

“I am super excited and happy to be nominated for this position on the board,” Seeley said. “I am ready to get started and make next year a huge success for the Greek system.”

“I hope to continue the great programs that the outgoing board started this year. It is my goal to help unite the Greek community and increase our presence on campus,” she said. “I am looking forward to bringing new programs and energy to Cornell’s Greek life through the hard work and efforts of the new board.”

Jenna Odett ’07, president of Alpha Chi Omega and member of the slating committee, helped slate the executive board.

“The decisions we ultimately made were by no means easy choices. I might even say we expected the slate to be contested. I commend the women who were slated, the women who showed courage and contested the slate, and the new Panhellenic executive board,” she said.

Odett is confident that the Panhellenic Association is in good hands with the new board.

“I think the new board represents all of the chapters well and the women who were elected are all very capable and qualified for their positions,” she said. “I can’t wait to hear and see all of the wonderful progress this new board will make for the Greek system next year.”

Archived article by Allison Markowitz
Sun Staff Writer