Campaigning was cut short forseveral candidates Tuesday, April 13 after academic transcripts from theRegistrar’s office showed that they didn’t have the required grade pointaverage run.
According to LaToya Lemons, StudentGovernment Association elections commissioner, seven students did not have therequired cumulative 2.5 GPA to qualify–one candidate for SGA President, twocandidates for Miss Southern, one candidate for Men’s Federation President, onecandidate for Miss Senior, one candidate for Sophomore Vice-President and onecandidate for Sophomore Class Senator.
Candidates took the constitutionalexam on April 6.
According to Student GovernmentAssociation President Wayne Haydin, passing the test does not ensure a spot inthe elections.
Candidates aren’t officially placedon the ballot until after grades have been cleared through the Registrar’sOffice.
“On Thursday, April 8 there was acampaign workshop where the rules were explained,” Haydin said. “Candidates were able to check thelist–though it was not official–of the candidates who qualified through theexam.”
However, on Monday, April 12campaign signs and banners were displayed in many areas on campus although theofficial list of qualified candidates had not been released.
On Tuesday, some candidates wereforced to remove all campaign paraphernalia because they were not qualified torun.
“We notified the students onTuesday, April 13. It was atdifferent times for different people because we had problems getting in touchwith them,” Lemons said.
Lemons said that Twyana Cain, coordinatorfor international and commuter students, requested the grades Monday, April 5so that students would know whether or not they were qualified to run after theconstitutional exam.
“She went to the Registar’s officeeveryday but due to the grade audit, the office wouldn’t release theinformation,” Lemons said.
Dustin Prestage, a candidate for SGAPresident said his situation is different.
“My situation was a discrepancy thatwasn’t corrected in time,” Prestage said. ”I do feel they could have told the girls that were running for MissSouthern in a more timely manner. Also, there could have been a more thoroughinvestigation of the grades before hand.”
Though students and candidates sharedifferent views on the decision making process of the elections, the rules arestated in the SGA Constitution.
Under Elections and Qualificationsin Article VIII Section I, it states, “all elective officials must have aminimum of 2.5 accumulative average. The official record of the Registar’sOffice shall be the final authority in all questions of scholasticeligibility.”
In Section VI it states, “theaccumulative average is determined by total academic record of grade pointsearned divided by total hours pursued. This includes both passed and failedhours.”
“To be considered a qualifiedcandidate you have to have filed correctly, pass the test and have the grades,”Haydin said. “There are two formulas of figuring the GPA’s. One is stricter.The stricter formula does not count repeat deletes.
A list was posted Thursday but thestudents were told they could campaign at there own risk because the officiallist would not be out until Tuesday.”
Due to lack of qualified candidates,two senior class and three senior class senator positions will be elected inthe fall.
