The Whitworthian

Issue date: 12/4/07 Last Updated: 2/13/08

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ASWU will have two vacant positions by the end of the semester.

Elections will be held in February for positions left open by senator Richie Ressel, who serves Stewart, Shalom and Keola, and Warren representative Sarah Moore, ASWU Executive Vice President Katie Zerkel said.

Ressel will be leaving at the end of the semester and Moore resigned in November.

Zerkel said it is not common for members to leave.

"It's happened in the past, but generally people don't run to quit if they are not interested in staying through the year," Zerkel said.

Ressel to study abroad

Ressel, a sophomore, said he will be resigning at the end of the semester.

"For Jan Term and spring [semester], I will be going to Central America through the study abroad program through Whitworth," Ressel said.

Ressel said he was originally waitlisted for the program last March, so he decided to run for senator.

After the elections, he received an invitation to join the program, Ressel said.

"They told me that I was accepted at the end of May after spring [semester] had ended," Ressel said.

According to an e-mail Ressel received from the off-campus studies department, there were more than 40 applications for 26 slots in the study program.

Ressel said he took Core 250 over the summer with director of student activities Dayna Coleman Jones, so he informed her of the situation right away.

Zerkel said she has known since the beginning of the semester that Ressel would be leaving, but it doesn't make his leaving any easier.

"He loves seeing people and meeting with students," Zerkel said. "He loves everything he does. That enthusiasm will be greatly missed."

Zerkel said she will wait to decide whether or not to appoint an interim senator for Ressel until the election dates are set.

Zerkel said elections will be held sometime in February.

If there is a significant amount of time between the start of the semester and the elections, an interim senator will be appointed, Zerkel said.

According to the Bylaws, "an election must be held within one month of the date of the vacancy, (except in times incongruent with the regular academic year)."

Junior Sarah Davies, representative for Stewart, Shalom and Keola, said she enjoyed working with Ressel.

"I feel like I'm starting to get to know him," Davies said.

Davies said it may be difficult acting on her own.

"There is a time where I'll be going solo," Davies said. "I will get these duties done, but I have a pretty busy schedule that would make things more difficult."

Ressel said he has enjoyed his time working for ASWU.

"I'm really going to miss it and I'm bummed that I have to leave in the middle of the year," Ressel said.

Ressel said he has also heard from people interested in the position.

Moore Leaves for medical reasons

Moore, a sophomore, announced her resignation at the Nov. 14 ASWU meeting.

"I'm sad I'm leaving," Moore said at the meeting. "I have really enjoyed [ASWU]."

Moore said she needed to return home due to back problems.

According to Article VIII, section 3 of the ASWU Bylaws, when a senator or representative seat becomes vacant, "an interim senator or representative shall be appointed by the executive vice-president until an election can be held."

Zerkel said she appointed sophomore Becca Miller to be the new interim representative for Warren until the end of the semester.

Zerkel said she picked Miller in consultation with Moore, Warren resident director Tyler Pau, Warren representative Christine DeHaven, and Warren senator Seth Flory.

"[Becca] had already run for ASWU, so she showed interest," Zerkel said.

Miller said the transition into ASWU has not been hard.

"I've had a lot of help," Miller said. "They've welcomed me and I've been encouraged to ask questions."

Flory said Moore was a great representative.

"She was always available and she always wanted to help," Flory said.

Flory and Zerkel agreed that Miller has stepped up to the challenge of joining ASWU in the middle of the semester.

"She just joined, but she's already jumped on with Warren Peace," Zerkel said.

Flory said he has heard from several people interested in running for the position in the spring.

Miller said she was unsure if she would remain at Whitworth next semester, but if she is, she will run for the position.

"Even though I knew I might be leaving next semester, I became the interim rep because I wanted to help," Miller said.

ASWU President Scott Donnell said Ressel and Moore were eager workers.

"They will be greatly missed," Donnell said. "We hope they do well."

Contact Morgan Feddes at morgan.feddes@whitworthian.com.

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