THE EXECUTIVE Board of the Central Student Council (CSC) will lack a vice president next academic year, as no student opted to run for the second highest position in the council in this year’s student polls.
Medical technology senior Victor Amores, outgoing CSC vice president, said the vacancy is not an isolated case.
“There are also a few students who ran for positions in their own [local student councils],” he told the Varsitarian in an online interview.
Amores said the next council would have to double its effort to fill in the duties and responsibilities of the vice president.
Froilan Calilung, who teaches at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, said students demand better council leaders.
“It may have been incidental or probably, there exists the apprehension among many student leaders with regard to the perception of the student body on their stand on sensitive political issues,” he told the Varsitarian.
He said the role of vice president is important and does not exist only as a “spare tire.”
“The previous elections only proved that Thomasians do not know the meaning of political apathy,” he said. “I believe this election shall be deemed crucial in putting back the trust and confidence of the entire student body on their Thomasian student leaders.”
Under the CSC constitution, the council vice president acts as the coordinator of all the committees created by the Executive Board and supervises them. He is also tasked to handle the external affairs of the council and other duties that the CSC president may assign.
Moriah Mendiola, chairwoman of the UST Central Commission on Elections, said the poll body might hold a special election next academic year to fill the vacancy in the council.
She also attributed the lack of candidates to the fear of being subjected to the criticism of the student body.
“[R]ight now, the Thomasian student body became more active in asking for a more competent leader who is fit for the job,” Mendiola told the Varsitarian in an online interview.
According to UST Students’ Election Code of 2011, the Comelec, upon a petition of any interested party, may call for a special election.
Another option to fill the vacant post is for next year’s Executive Board to nominate three local student council presidents, who are members of the Central Board of Students, after which a secret balloting will take place for the election of a new vice president. A. K. H. Cayongcat and N. J. N. Servallos
