The Concordian

Jeff Yeager is ready to fi ll the presidential position, with sleeves rolled up and a smile on his face. [Click to enlarge]

Michelle Lusk, chair of the election committee, announces the winners of the 2009 election. [Click to enlarge]

Michelle Lusk, chair of the election committee, announced the winners at the beginning of the SGA meeting in the ballroom at 4 p.m.  She prefaced by saying everything ran smoothly this year during the election process.

Sean Noland, former SGA president, also commented that this was “the smoothest election in years.”

Many students were happy to see less “mud-slinging” during this election.

Newly elected President Jeff Yeager says he is very excited.  The self-proclaimed “underdog” was surprised by his win.  He says he is hopeful about his position and plans to hold true to his promise for reform.

He is currently the Attorney General and has served as chair of a Judicial Reform Committee as well as chairman of the Ethics Committee.

Yeager is a firm believer that the SGA is lacking integrity and that is what he wants to reestablish.  He wants everyone to have a more credible student government.

His major plans are judicial and ethical reform in order to create a more professional student government process.  “I’ve had the good fortune of working with everyone who was elected and I’m sure we will become a unified team,” Yeager said.  “I want to make students believe in SGA again.”

Yeager plans to donate his first paycheck to the Mercer County Salvation Army for the annual Christmas campaign.

Newly elected Board of Governors Representative, Curtis Kearns, says he couldn’t be happier. “We’ve got a lot of problems at Concord, but we’ve also got a lot of great things, too,” Kearns said.  “I promised the voters if they elected me I would work day and night to make sure Concord really is the best school in the State and I intend to keep that promise.”

Kearns has served as Business Manager, Vice President, and as a Senator.  “It feels great to work my way up the ranks of the Student Government Association and now finally be able to be part of a board that runs the institution.”

After hearing student concerns, Kearns said we need more faculty and degree programs, we need to diversify our student population, and we desperately need to improve our dormitories. He wants to gear toward the mission of serving students and make all bills reflect a “pro-student voice.”

“I’m perhaps excited the most about being the first openly homosexual member of the Board of Governors, to expand the minds of our leaders and bring them in touch with our student population,” Kearns said.

Akeya Carter-Bozman, who has been elected vice president, previously held the Board of Governors position.  She has served as Higher Education Chair, Senator, Chair of Safety Committee, and Publicity Chair.

Attorney General elect Bill Lewis says he is elated.  “This opportunity to serve the students, afford them justice, and protect the ethics and integrity of our SGA is really an exciting opportunity,” Lewis said.

Lewis has served as Higher Education Committee Chair, CUSAC Chair, and as an organizational representative.  “I’ve always worked to serve students fully and faithfully and I expected nothing less than to be elected as Attorney General as a result of my record of service.”

Lewis says he will not hesitate to seek guidance from newly elected president Jeff Yeager as he makes this transition into his new office.  He says he would like to see the SGA adopt a Students’ Bill of Rights, a Code of Ethics, and condense, simplify, and publicize the University’s judicial procedures.

Previous Public Defender, Joshua Lawson, was reelected.  He formerly served as PAD Representative, Honors Representative, Publications Chair, and SGA Affairs Chair.  He plans to “do everything in my power to fight for students” and work with policy changes.

Matt Belcher is the newly elected Business Manager.  He has served as Housing Chair, Senator, and Interim Vice President.  As Business Manager, he wants to lower the amount of money the SGA Executive Board receives and to shorten the amount of discussion time for student budgets.

All newly elected members will take oath at the end of this semester and they will officially take office on July 1, 2009.

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