The student government elections committee sat on the floor of Watson forum counting more applications than expected Thursday afternoon.
Following the DePauw Student Government white paper passed in March, the DePauw Student Government Constitution was amended to allow the entire student body to run for executive board — rather than solely students who had been involved in student government for at least two semesters as the constitution previously stated. Student body president Christine Walker, a senior, believed the increase in applications for executive board positions was likely due to the constitutional amendment.
"I definitely think it took the intimidation factor away. Even if that specific qualification didn't apply to them I think just the general feeling of openness in this election made it more accessible," Walker said.
Former director of public relations sophomore Austin Bonta views the opportunity for more students to run for office as positive, though it means a greater number of candidates will be competing against him. Bonta meets the former criteria for running for executive board with his previous four semesters of experience in student government, but feels any student should have the opportunity to run.
"If I don't win I definitely want someone who is more experienced and more creative to be there so I think this opens it up for that," Bonta said.
Former freshman senator Stefani Cleaver said with some conflicting emotion that she too felt opening up the election would be a good opportunity. Cleaver said the new amendment would not directly impact her election, but she felt it led students to a greater number of opposing candidates in her race. She said regardless of previous experience the best candidates will win.
"Some people just don't have the time or the opportunity or the previous initiative to run for the other things, but if you actually have a passion for things and if you actually know what you're talking about people are going to vote for you," Cleaver said.
Walker explained that following elections in which not all students were allowed to run for executive board, student government hoped to open up the opportunity to all students as she said all students should have a chance to change their community.
"We really think that all of the students have really good ideas on how to change DePauw whether or not they've chosen to be in student government and so they should all have a chance to apply those ideas," Walker said.
Though candidates said they supported the amendment and shared messages of luck to one another at the elections policy meeting Thursday, a sense of competition gripped the room as students fled immediately following the end of the meeting to craft campaign materials. Cleaver went so far as to address her competitors, saying, "Bring it on."