Walsh to Become Member of Board of Trustees Despite Alleged Violations

Student Trustee-elect Mike Walsh grad will become a full voting member of the trustee board starting on July 1, after the Trustee Nominating Committee ruled that Walsh’s campaign complied with the Trustee Election Guidelines. The University Ombudsman also upheld the Committee’s ruling, Director of the Office of Assemblies, Peggy Beach, said.
Last week, Sun Columnist Shawn Kong grad, filed a complaint with the University Ombudsman alleging that Walsh had violated the rules of Trustee Election Guidelines when Graduate and Professional Student Assembly vice presidential nominee Mario Guerrero endorsed Walsh in an e-mail.
Kong alleged that Guerrero’s e-mail to members of the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs Fellows listserv was a form of electronic campaign material that promoted a candidate in another race other than the Student Trustee Nominee. Kong contended that the e-mail had violated guidelines because candidates are prohibited from running on a ticket.
Trustee Election Guidelines strictly prohibits campaign material, physical or electronic, “that includes the names, positions, or any other information regarding other elections,” whether produced by the candidate or their supporters. Material should only include information about the student trustee election.