September 26, 2012
Vol. XLV, No. 8 November 14, 2012
In policy shakeup, Establishment candidates win majority USFC members elect- of SRC and USFC seats in elections ed directly
Photo credit: Alex Potter
Elena Grissom Staff Writer If you walked past West Hall this year, it would seem like nothing about AUB elections has changed. Candidates were still attacking vulnerable and confused students, passing out stress balls, pencils and bracelets and chanting rhythmic slogans. Still, a major policy change took place this term. This year, the entire election process took place in one day as AUB students elected both Student Representative Committee and University Student Faculty Committee members. In previous years, AUB students elected SRC members in the general elections. Then there was a second round of voting, where the SRC
winners would elect USFC members from amongst themselves. The change, initiated by dean of Student Affairs, Talal Nizameddin, concerns the election of the USFC. This year students were able to vote directly for USFC members. “It’s now a direct election, one of the core principles of democracy,” Nizameddin said. The student body elects 109 members of the SRC. The SRC then appoints 17 delegates to the USFC. The difference between the bodies is that while SRC members mostly address issues related to their specific faculty or school, USFC Continued on page 10
Heather Jaber Editor-in-Chief
Despite the rainy weather making campaigning difficult for the candidates last week, the clouds cleared up just in time for yesterday’s student representative elections. Candidates, voters and the apathetic crowded around upper campus and their respective faculties, watching cam-
paigners attempt to solidify citement of the elections was as many undecided votes as lost neath that of the Beirut possible. Marathon, the candidates, deThe past few days in AUB voted to their campaigns, perhave been marked by this fa- sisted throughout the weekmiliar air of slight tension end. The rain, hail and chill underneath energized cam- that fell over Lebanon these paigning. The candidates of past few days put a damper the Student Representative on the usual elections’ exciteCouncil (SRC) rallied to gain ment on campus, especially supporters for their individual Continued on page 4 causes. While for a moment, the ex-
AUB community’s enthusiasm shines despite rain in 2012 Beirut Marathon
Elena Grissom Staff Writer As stormy clouds gathered in the distance, a sea of red shirts flooded the streets of Beirut during the 2012 BLOM Beirut Marathon. Despite the intermittent rain during the event, around 600 AUB students, staff, and fac-
ulty members joined the other 30,000 marathon participants. Music blasted from speakers, volunteers offered free drinks and food along the way and an unmistakable general feeling of excitement permeated the air, validating President Dorman’s claim that the Beirut Marathon is “a chance
for AUB to get together with the community, to celebrate everything that is good about Beirut and Lebanon.” Most AUB runners participated in the 10 km “fun run,” which directed them from the starting line in Biel, past the RUN AUB RUN banners Continued on page 8