Liz McKeown will return to her position as VP student life after receiving 714 votes, a clear victory over opponent Kourtney Smith’s 413 votes.
“I’m kind of in shock actually,” McKeown said. “I think everything happens for a reason. It was a very tough time but ultimately I’m actually grateful for everything that’s happened.”
McKeown was disqualified from the March 5 election, but after a legal battle the decision was overturned by an arbitrator. McKeown already served a year as VP student life and will be in office until the spring 2009 election.
“It’s been very difficult and unfortunately it’s been very costly too,” McKeown said, referring to approximately $60,000 in legal fees paid by the Students’ Association prior to the election.
Smith, who served as VP student life for the past seven months, was noticeably upset after the results were released on Dec. 2.
“I honestly don’t think this is fair at all,” she said. “I do think that the results of the election partially came down to a popularity contest. I am in my third year; she is in her seventh year so that made a big difference in the number of people you know on campus.”
Smith also criticized McKeown’s campaign strategy, saying she blanketed the school with promotional handbills without stopping to actually speak with students.
Smith said she was “very disappointed that the students would vote in individuals who essentially sued them for $65,000 and that’s the biggest shock to me right now . . . that’s really hard for me to wrap my head around.”
Smith said she would likely run for VP student life again in the spring election.
McKeown is eager to get back to work and thanked her campaign team and everyone who voted.
After a clean election, “hopefully more people will be interested in getting involved now,” McKeown said.
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