College Council (CC) is appointing five new legislators to occupy vacant elected positions, according to CC Vice President Hemal Prasad (19C).
The vacated spots are two senior legislator positions, two junior legislator positions and one sophomore legislator position. Applications for the positions closed on Sunday night, and Prasad and CC President Radhika Kadakia (20C) will interview the applicants.
Alec Giufurta, who was elected last Spring as a sophomore legislator, transferred to Cornell University (N.Y.).
Cindy Feng, who was elected last Spring as a junior legislator, transferred to Duke University (N.C.).
Hithardhi Duggireddy (20C), who was elected last Spring as a junior legislator, vacated his position because he was appointed CC vice president of budget.
Yeon Soo Cho, who was appointed last Spring as a senior legislator, took a leave of absence for the Fall 2018 semester.
In total, only five of 15 elected legislative positions this year will be held by people who were actually voted into office.
“We had very few people run for these positions,” Prasad said.
When Duggireddy ran for CC junior legislator, his platform said he would create a portal similar to Handshake to connect students with research openings, revise monetary policy to reduce wasteful spending and strive for general equity.
After he won the election, Duggireddy decided to apply for the position of vice president of budget. He said that he only did so after he was reassured by CC adviser Sarah Beth Potter that he would still be able to accomplish the initiatives he outlined during his campaign.
“I thought it would have been unethical not to,” Duggireddy said.
Duggireddy is working to establish a website for research opportunities sponsored by CC, and he expects the website to go live this fall.
Prasad said he and Kadakia hope to select a diverse slate of new legislators.
“What we’re looking for in legislators is a diverse perspective from different parts of campus because we don’t just want one type of legislator,” Prasad said. “We want legislators that inform all the different experiences. We always appreciate people with fresh new ideas and a game plan to get there.”
After Kadakia and Prasad send offers to applicants, the candidates will be brought before the CC for approval.
Prasad expects to fill the empty positions by the time of freshman representative elections.
Executive Editor | cyan24@emory.edu
Christina Yan (21B) is from Monmouth Junction, N.J., majoring in business administration. She previously served as assistant news editor and news editor. She won a 2018 Mark of Excellence Award from the Society of Professional Journalists in the General News Reporting category for her coverage of Emory Law Professor Paul J. Zwier II’s use of the N-word in class and also placed as a finalist in the same category for her investigation of the 2018 Student Government Association elections. Outside the Wheel, she is an academic fellow, QTM100 lab assistant and a member of Emory China Care's marketing team. In her spare time, she enjoys flexing on others with her ability to eat spicy food.
