Spring 2012 Election Candidate Information Packet:
February 20, 2012
Dear Prospective Candidate,
Congratulations! By collecting this packet you have taken the first step in your campaign for student government. This packet contains all of the information that you will need to run a successful campaign. From this moment forward until the end of the election, you are responsible for ALL of the information included within this packet, which is available online at www.penn-nec.org for your convenience.
There are a few important details that I would like to call to your attention. The Fair Practices Code (FPC) outlines the rules of the election. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU READ THE FPC VERY CAREFULLY. It is also available online at www.penn-nec.org. Numerous changes have been made to the FPC over the past year, and it is vital that candidates download and carefully read the most recently updated version along with this Candidate Packet.
Some important changes in the FPC, of which to make note:
· (VII.E.4) Candidates may not contact students through any university-sponsored, created, or managed social networking group designated as class-wide (e.g. Official Class of 2009 Facebook Group), school-wide (e.g. Official Wharton Facebook Group), school-wide/class-wide (e.g. Official Wharton Class of 2009 Facebook Group), or interdisciplinary program-wide listservs (e.g. Official Huntsman Facebook Group).
Please also note an important change regarding running for two positions:
· You may choose to run exclusively for UA President or Vice-President and not for general UA membership.
· You may also run for one of the two directly-elected positions and general UA membership simultaneously (ex: UA President + Wharton UA member). If you win one of the two directly-elected positions, you will not be considered for a general UA member position.
· You cannot run for both UA President and Vice-President.
· You cannot run for UA President or Vice-President and a directly-elected Class Board position (ex: UA Vice-President + Wharton School Class Chair)
The monetary campaigning period begins on Wednesday, March 21st at 7 am. You CANNOT campaign using materials that have monetary value prior to this time.
Failure to adhere to the rules in this packet, and all others outlined in the FPC may result in disqualification from the election. The FPC will be explained in more detail at the MANDATORY Candidates’ Meeting on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 @ 8 PM in Huntsman Hall G06. As UA President/Vice-President candidates, you must also attend the MANDATORY Executive Information Session on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 @ 9:30pm in Huntsman G50.
If you have questions or concerns about any aspect of the elections process, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at or by phone at (818) 430-8749. You may also choose to contact Shomik Sarkar, Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC), by email at , though I will be your main point of contact through this Election cycle. Please do not contact any other member of the NEC with questions concerning the election, as s/he will simply refer you to one of us.
Please ensure a fair election by reading and adhering to the rules in the FPC. I look forward to meeting you and wish you the best of luck and success with your campaign.
Best Regards,
Ariela Cohen
Vice-Chair for Elections, Nominations and Elections Committee
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
WHEN / WHAT / WHERE / TIMEMonday,
February 20, 2012 / General Candidate Info Session / Huntsman Hall G90 / 7:00 p.m.
Monday,
February 20, 2012 / Candidate Packets Available / www.penn-nec.org
NEC Office
Wednesday,
February 22, 2012 /
Mandatory:Executive Info Session
/ Huntsman Hall G50 / 9:30 pmTuesday,
March 13, 2012 /
Mandatory:
Candidate Packets Due
and picture-taking/video-taping for The Daily Pennsylvanian / NEC Office,
Office of Student Affairs,
200 Houston Hall / Between
11:00 am and 5:00 pm
Tuesday,
March 13, 2012 /
Mandatory: E-mail a copy of candidate’s statement
/ / By 5:00 pmWednesday,
March 14, 2012 /
Mandatory: Candidate’s Meeting
/ Huntsman Hall G06 / 8:00 pmThursday,
March 15, 20120 /
Endorsement Period Begins
/ Around Campus / When Official Candidate List is ReleasedWednesday,
March 21, 2012 /
Monetary Campaigning Period Begins
/ Around Campus / 7:00 amMonday,
March 26, 2012 /
Online Voting Begins
/ www.pennstudgov.com / 12:01 amSCHEDULED DEBATES / Mandatory: TO BE DETERMINED – please see emails to come
Candidate
Meet-and-Greet / TO BE DETERMINED – please see emails to come
Friday,
March 30, 2012 /
Elections Conclude
/ 5:00 pmFriday,
March 30, 2012 /
Mandatory: Spending Forms Due
/ NEC Office, 200 Houston Hall / Between5:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Friday,
March 30, 2012 /
Voting Results Announced (if no violations filed)
/ Huntsman Hall F60 / 9:00 pmSunday,
April 1, 2012 /
Fair Practices Code Hearing
(if violations are filed)
/ Huntsman Hall F60 / 1:00 pmSummary and Descriptions of Events:
Monday, February 20, 2012 à General Candidate Info Session and Candidate Packets Made Available
At this meeting at 7:00 in Huntsman Hall G90, you will learn more about the elected branches of PSG and the basic general election procedures. It is not mandatory but may be beneficial for new candidates. Packets are available here. They are also available for download at the NEC website (www.penn-nec.org) or may be picked up at the NEC Office in the Office of Student Life, 200 Houston Hall.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 à Executive Information Session
At this meeting at 9:30 pm in Huntsman Hall G55, you will learn important information specifically pertaining to the UA President and Vice-President Election process. If you do not attend this meeting, your candidacy may be terminated. (Please contact the Vice Chair for Elections, Ariela Cohen, in advance if you cannot attend).
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 à Candidate Packets Due / DP Picture Taking and Video Taping
Please bring the following items with you to the NEC office in Houston Hall between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. (Keep in mind that if you are running for two positions, you must turn in two separate sets of petitions with the proper number of signatures for each position. You may photocopy signatures and submit them twice, provided they are of the proper constituency for each position).
1. Candidate Information Form
2. Certificate of Candidacy
3. Petitions for candidacy with appropriate number of signatures (see FPC VI.B for details)
4. Candidates running for UA President or Vice-President will need to submit the additional petition signed by at least 5 sitting members of the UA at this time a well
5. A hard copy of your candidate’s statement (150 words or less)
It is imperative that you come in person, as your picture will be taken for The Daily Pennsylvanian at this time. If you cannot attend, please contact the Vice Chair for Elections, Ariela Cohen, well in advance.
If you wish to submit a candidate’s statement for the DP and the Online DP Candidate Center, please
e-mail it to as a Word (.doc/.docx) attachment with the subject line in this format: “Last Name, First Name – Position You are Running For.” It may be no longer than 150 words and will be cut off if it exceeds the limit. If you are running for more than one position, you must submit a second statement (same or different as first) with your name and the second position in the subject line. Candidate statements must be submitted by 5 PM on Monday, March 12, 2012. (Note: We cannot guarantee the formatting of your statements and thus statements in paragraph form are recommended. Do NOT write statements in a format that exceeds 8 lines.)
You will also have the opportunity to be videotaped and then placed on The Daily Pennsylvanian website.
Videotaping will take place next to the Office of Student Affairs from 11 am to 5 pm on this day. You will be taped from the chest up and props/accessories are prohibited. Should any schedule change arise from The Daily Pennsylvanian staff, you will be informed when submitting your Candidate Packet.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 à Mandatory Candidates’ Meeting
At this meeting at 8 pm in Huntsman Hall G06, you will learn important information about the campaigning and elections process, and confirm your personal information. If you do not attend this meeting and bring the Official Acknowledgement of Candidacy, your candidacy may be terminated. (Please contact the Vice Chair for Elections, Ariela Cohen, in advance if you cannot attend).
Endorsement Period Begins: When the official list of candidates is released later this evening, you may begin to seek endorsements, and groups may begin to contact you for potential endorsements. Remember that groups may not spend any money on your behalf and the UA and CB may not endorse your candidacy.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 à Monetary Campaigning Period Begins at 7:00 am
Monday, March 26, 2012 à Online Elections Begin at 12:01 am
PLACES & TIMES TO BE DETERMINED à UA Presidential and Vice-Presidential Debates
Presidential candidates must participate in at least three debates, and Vice-Presidential candidates must participate in at least one. Failure to attend may be grounds for a candidate’s disqualification. It is in your best interest to attend and participate in as many scheduled debates as possible. If you cannot make at least one of the official debates, please contact Vice-Chair for Elections Ariela Cohen immediately.
Friday, March 30, 2012 à Elections Conclude at 5:00 pm
Candidates MUST turn in their Spending Forms between the hours of 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm at the NEC Office in Houston Hall. Late forms will NOT be accepted. Charges of violations of the FPC will be accepted at this time as well.
Friday, March 30, 2012 à Voting Results Announced, if No Violations were Filed
If no violations were filed, elections results will be announced at this meeting held at 9:00 pm in Huntsman Hall F60. This meeting is open to the public.
Sunday, April 1, 2012 à Fair Practices Code Hearing
If violations were filed, the charges will be heard at 1:00 pm in Huntsman Hall F60. Immediately following the announcement of the NEC’s decision, elections results will be announced. This meeting is open to the public.
BECOMING A CANDIDATE
I. Eligibility
Any individual who, according to the University of Pennsylvania Registrar, is a current full-time student at the University may run. Ineligible students are those who will be abroad during either semester of the academic year (Fall 2012 or Spring 2013).
To be eligible to run for UA President or Vice-President, a candidate must additionally:
· Attend the Executive Information Sessions (EIS). Additional information regarding the EIS can be found in this document.
· Attend at least one UA Presidential or Vice-Presidential Debate. Additional information regarding these debates can be found in this document.
· Adhere to the petition policies stated in the NEC’s Fair Practices Code (FPC, VI.B.1)
II. Positions
A. UA President & Vice-President
UA President
The UA President is the directly elected (undergraduate) Student Body President at the University of Pennsylvania. This individual is also responsible for the strategy, direction, and priorities of the UA itself, and thus serves in dual roles as the student body’s elected leader and the leader of the UA. The formal duties of the UA President are contained in the UA Constitution, but a more holistic summary follows:
On a day-to-day basis, the UA President is the face of the student body to the University administration. This person represents students on the University Council, the Council’s Steering Committee (with the Vice-President), the Council of Undergraduate Deans (with the SCUE Chair), the Council Campus and Community Life Committee, and the Trustee Committee on Student Life. They meet with all manner of senior administrators as needed on an ad hoc basis to advance the policy platform on which they were elected.
In addition, the UA President exercises general supervision over the activities and agenda of the UA. This individual chairs the UA Executive (consisting of all UA officers) and serve as the driving force behind the UA’s policies. The President is also responsible for setting the UA’s agenda, although the UA is empowered to set its own agenda if it disagrees with the President. This person is a full UA member and has the right to speak before all other members in UA deliberations.
Finally, the President is a voting member of the UA Steering Committee and is expected to regularly liaise with and advance the agendas of the 35 groups who are members of UA Steering.
However, the UA President is a member of, bound by, reports to, and can be impeached and removed by the UA Governing Body, which is the directly elected legislature of student government. A President must advocate for UA resolutions, even those he/she disagrees with, and the President is required to attend UA meetings and obey all UA bylaws. A good working relationship between the President, his/her Executive, and the Governing Body is essential for student government to be productive; each has the power to frustrate the work of the other.