I have the privilege of announcing to you that based on official returns from the Nominations and Elections Committee, the two referenda to amend the UA Constitution were approved.

Question 1 (Direct Election of UA Chair, etc):

YES: 1770 (77.02%)

NO: 528 (22.98%)

Total turnout: 2298 (23.06 percent of the student body)

Question 2 (Representation, Technical Changes, etc):

YES: 2032 (89.52%)

NO: 238 (10.48%)

Total turnout: 2270 (22.78 percent of the student body)

This means that the UA will, effective next academic year, be led by a President and Vice-President elected in the Spring from the entire student body, while the UA General Body will elect a Speaker to chair its meetings and manage its internal operations.

In addition, the UA will expand to 37 members next year, including one more College student and one more Engineer (the other 2 new members are the UA President and VP who have ex officio seats), and, in Fall 2010, Transfer students will be able to vote and run for the UA with other new students for the first time.

There are many more changes, so check them out! Please find a copy of the newly revised UA Constitution here (link: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgfz5j3b_1441gnkfx9g7). Also please find a copy of the new UA Bylaws here (link: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgfz5j3b_1443dv434rhq). These are both available – as always – on our website at www.pennua.org.

Over the next three months, the NEC and the UA will work diligently to transition to the new system. You will be getting updates from the UA and the NEC through email and the DP about procedures for our first directly elected student-body-wide UA President race!

Finally, I wish to congratulate Natalie Vernon, Zac Byer, Dennie Zastrow, the Class Presidents, and the many, many people who worked hard to make this a reality. Thanks are also due to the NEC, who ran an appropriately fabulous turnout campaign, members of the UA for their scrutiny and democratic spirit, and the many others inside and outside of student government who contributed to this moment.

Thanks are due most, of course, to you – our constituents! I hope that the new structure of the UA will build upon the great achievements of the old, becoming a better representative body, and delivering more tangible change than ever before.

Many thanks, and best of luck with Finals,

Yours sincerely,

Alec Anthony Webley

The 37^th and last Chairman of the Undergraduate Assembly