Vol. XLI, No. 5 Thursday, November 17, 2011
2011 Annual SRC elections: A smooth run-through Tracy Dariane Member at Large / Mohammad B. Azzam Photographer
The hype and intensity of the American University of Beirut’s yearly Student Representative Committee (SRC) elections came to an end with several close ties between the different student coalitions. Despite external media sources stating that the Students at Work coalition had the majority of the votes, the proliferation of ties impedes the official results. On Wednesday November 16, around 5.30 p.m., cheering and booing began outside West Hall as the candidates were entering the West Hall, and making their ways to the different counting rooms. The whole area was filled with security to ensure that no tension rose among all the students. The Dean was standing in the no-man’s-land between the divided parties giving announcements and calling out for the candidates to go into the hall. On one side, a pool of red and white students was observed; the other side was one of green and yellow. Reflecting on the overall ambiance of the elections, the Dean of Student Affairs, Talal Nizameddin remarked, “The voting itself has gone well, although the rain might have affected the turnout; but I would say that the voting has been smoother than usual and there was less tension. www.aub.edu.lb/outlook
It has been peaceful and calm in general. However, there were the usual complaints of intimidation and threats.” Patrick McGreevy, the Dean of Arts and Sciences who was supervising the FAS’ counting in West Hall’s common room also reflected on the electoral scene said, “Compared to previous years, elections ran smoothly; I think that the initial indication was that the turnout was lower, maybe due to the rain.” He added that there was good cooperation amongst the candidates who were taking the process seriously. He also said that although the overall feel was smooth, some tensions were found during the counting process. Tamim Bou Karroum, the project coordinator of the NGO, Lebanese Association for Democratic Election said, “The elections ran smoothly in general. They were well organized on AUB’s part. There was also a lot of national politics reflected in the attitudes of the students. ” He explained that, for the second year, they worked in coordination with AUB, in order to observe the electoral process, and write a report post-elections that they will be handing in to the univer-
sity. He explained that 18 personnel were spread throughout the faculties, in order to observe the voting and counting process. The FAS counting room, for example, was being overlooked by two observers. Kamal Bou Hadir, a Chemistry Associate Professor who was on one of the counting tables said, “Everything ran smoothly. The candidates were friendly, and there was no intense spirit of competition like the previous year.” In contrast to the united support observed among the AUB student body during the first round of the World Cup 2014’s qualifications of Lebanon versus South Korea, the AUB elections reflected an obvious separation especially between the two popular coalitions during the electoral process. Despite the intense divisions, the voters, supporters, candidates, and winners, left the West Hall scene in peace with victories, defeats, and an array of wet flyers, as candidate name lists scattered across the asphalted ground.
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