Six candidates ran without opposition in the Fall 2023 Student Governance Council elections and were all appointed.
After presenting their campaign platforms Sept. 12, voting on IC Engage opened Sept. 13 and closed Sept. 16. Candidates were notified of their election Sept. 18 and were given 24 hours to accept their position. New SGC members will attend their first Senate meeting Sept. 25.
Second-semester first-year student Ty Anderson received 103 votes and was elected as vice president of residential affairs — the only executive board position that needed to be filled. Anderson also received seven votes of no confidence.
First-year student Joslyn Forcione was elected as the School of Humanities and Sciences senator with 48 votes and five votes of no confidence.
Senior Molly Hankinson was elected as Class of 2024 senator with 36 votes and three votes of no confidence. There are two Class of 2024 positions and with Hankinson elected, the other position remains empty.
“I would like to thank everyone who supported me through voting and reposting my flyers,” Hankinson said via email. “I am really looking forward to working with SGC and getting the opportunity to represent the senior class!”
Junior Muhammad Arshad was elected as one of two Class of 2025 senators with 18 votes and two votes of no confidence. Arshad will join junior Cameron Small, who was elected as a Class of 2025 senator in Spring 2023. Arshad said that he will strive to make sure all voices are heard and valued. He said he promises to advocate for inclusivity, transparency and effective communication.
“I am humbled and honored by the trust the student community has placed in me by electing me to the Student Government Council,” Arshad said via email. “This is a responsibility I do not take lightly. … I want to express my gratitude to everyone who believed in my vision and supported me throughout the election process. As I step into this role, I am eager to work with the entire student body, the faculty and the administration to make our campus more equitable, inclusive and student-centered.”
First-year students Ava Casell-Lapetina and Eva Horst were elected as the two Class of 2027 senators. Casell-Lapetina received 32 votes and two votes of no confidence, while Horst received 19 votes and two votes of no confidence.
“I was excited and grateful when I learned I was elected to SGC,” Horst said via email. “I am ready to start representing the first-year students and I am very excited to work with Ava to achieve our goals for the freshman class.”
The Fall 2023 elections were open to all students who wanted to run for the 16 open senator positions and one open e-board position. Since all six candidates who participated were appointed, the remaining open positions include the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance senator, the varsity athlete senator, the off-campus senator, the graduate senator, four senators-at-large and the new first-generation senator position.
The SGC is the sole representative body for the Ithaca College student community. The SGC can be contacted at sgc@ithaca.edu.
