Eli Yani is graduating this June, meaning he’s leaving his term as ASUCD senator roughly 18 weeks early. Ryan Meyerhoff, Student Government Administrative Office webmaster, will take his place in Fall 2011.
“Even though I’ll have only served for about 12 weeks or so, I still will have had a relatively strong impact,” Yani said. “I’ve made my voice heard and I don’t feel any qualms about this.”
Through a countback system, Meyerhoff, who came in ninth in the Winter 2011 election, will be finishing out Yani’s term.
“They re-input the election’s data and my votes get redistributed based on other voter preferences. I’ll get eliminated from the top and my votes will go around,” Yani said. “I am told that it will actually be enough to get Meyerhoff the bump from ninth place to sixth.”
For Meyerhoff, the opportunity to take over Yani’s place is one he is beyond grateful for.
“I see this as a continuation of my service to the students after holding various other roles in ASUCD and the administration,” said Meyerhoff in an e-mail interview. “While I may have lost in winter, I am glad that enough of Eli’s voters supported me (on their ballots) to earn me his seat.”
ASUCD Senator Andre Lee said he wished someone with more passion for the association could get Yani’s senate seat. Meyerhoff resigned as Elections Committee Chair in order to run for senate, which left the association in a bind, Lee said.
Some senators, including Lee, also did not appreciate Yani’s campaign strategy – Yani ran on his own slate, Justice, Equality and Waffles (JEW), and promised waffle makers in the ASUCD Coffee House. This, combined with his past experience as ASUCD controller, ultimately won him a spot on the senate table.
Yet many students and ASUCD members question why Yani wasn’t completely open about his graduation date during the campaign season.
“It’s understandable but at the same time I wish he had brought it up during elections,” said ASUCD President Adam Thongsavat.
Yani said he never lied about his graduation plans during his campaign. While he didn’t openly say that he would not be able to serve his whole term, he willingly told those who asked.
Lee agreed with Thongsavat, and said Yani could have been more open about the situation
“He would say he was leaving but I wish it were a little more public,” Lee said. “I don’t think he was trying to hide it but he should have been more open about not being able to serve for 30 weeks.”
Nonetheless, Yani is satisfied with what he was able to achieve during his term. He noted a bill he wrote that forced the executive to release the proposed ASUCD budget with the budget numbers from previous years – this allows people to make more informed choices.
However, Lee said Yani’s time as senator was too short lived for much work to be completed.
“I’m disappointed. He was so qualified but he did so little,” Lee said. “As far as the budget, I think he had a very good proposal, but considering that’s all he’s done, little to nothing in regards to the budget has actually been completed.”
CHARLOTTE YOUNG can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
…and this isn’t a little early…this is like not even waiting to cut the cake and peacing out.
Dude– that was sarcasm! I know it was a metaphor. But I do enjoy the “Eli was nothing but a party pooper.”
Dude– it a metaphor! If ASUCD is a “party,” Eli was nothing but a party pooper.
I don’t think anyone would have a problem with Eli leaving a party early. People can leave parties whenever they choose to. However, this article is about leaving a job and ASUCD early. Parties and jobs are two different things. Just to clarify any confusion. A plus is that he might bring waffles to a real party, I don’t know if ASUCD is ever going to see any waffles.
Let me just say I voted Eli #1 and that there’s nothing wrong with leaving the party a little early. However, the debates would have been a perfect time to casually mention that he was planning on graduating early. I happen to be there with my friends and Eli blew it up at the debates. I would have still voted for him had I known he wasn’t coming back. i just wouldn’t haven’t voted him #1.
Seriously? Cereally? This is pathetic. Yet another senator sidestepping their duties?! How ironic that he runs on the idea that ASUCD is a joke organization, then leaves early proving ASUCD really is a joke! Yup, he’s definitely made a mockery out of ASUCD, too bad he’s the biggest joke of the bunch. What I find even more infuriating is that he might be replaced by YET ANOTHER individual who also has ZERO sense of responsibility! Yes, I’m talking about the dude (Meyerhoff) that quit his old position (Elections Committee Chair or something) early just to lose the senate election…
Back to Mr. Yani though. A joke candidate, running a joke campaign, with a joke platform and turned out to be a joke senator. Self-fulfilling prophecy…. Where are those WAFFLES Mr. Yani? What exactly have you done with your time on the table?? Thank you for making a fool out of every student on campus, you definitely worked the system for your advantage. The association MUST produce more responsible individuals, and students should think twice before falling prey to gimmicky campaigns.
So cheers to ASUCD, and cheers to Mr. Yani’s Resume boost.