ASFA By-Election Results

NewsErica Pishdadian — Published December 2, 2014 | Updated December 2, 2014 at 9:55am

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) announced the results of their fall by-elections on Nov. 28 as their proposed fee-levy increase from $0.38 to $1.60 per credit was rejected. Iman Hassanein won the election for VP Academic and Loyola, and Lianne Barnes was elected to VP External and Sustainability.

ASFA has two options moving forward—figuring out the reservations of students and working to address those reservations when possible, or working on figuring out alternatives in terms of budgetary allocations within the association, according to ASFA President Paul Jerajian.

“The latter may result in changes in certain budgetary allocations and a potential restructuring of our budget, but this is a long way from being certain,” he said.

Part of Hassanein’s campaign involved the idea of increasing coordination between student organizations and academic departments. She also emphasized the importance of keeping Loyola’s interests equal with the downtown campus. Barnes focused on the idea of pursuing partnerships and sponsorships from outside the university.

The two new vice-presidents each won their election by narrow margins. Hassanein had 190 votes to runner-up Hannah Spidle’s 178, and Barnes defeated opponent David Ness 181-160. ASFA’s Chief Electoral Officer, Andréa Fernandes, said she’s “very satisfied with the way things went” in the election.

“The candidates conducted themselves well; participation was precisely where we expected. I’m quite satisfied with the entire procedure,” she said. “We had a few, brief technical difficulties, but nothing that we weren’t able to resolve.”