Miscommunication about Class of 2026 VP removal; 2025 GM Week Elections Handbook presentation held

The Student Senate meeting last Tuesday was largely closed to discuss the FY26 Union Annual Report, and the motions cannot be disclosed until approved by the Board of Trustees in March.

During the Undergraduate Council report, Senator Williams Chen ’27 mentioned that the Class of 2026 Council removed Vice President Grace Killeen during their last meeting. Senator Caleb Carr ’26, who attended that meeting, disputed Chen’s assertion. The removal of a high ranking officer in a Class Council requires a formal discussion and vote—neither of which had been carried out during the Council’s last meeting on February 3, according to Carr.

Class of 2026 President Henry Hanson confirmed directly with The Poly that neither has happened with Killeen still holding the position of Vice President. Only the possibility of her removal was brought up at the last Council meeting.

Senate proceedings then went into a Special Order to present the preliminary Grand Marshal Week 2025 Elections Handbook by the Elections Commission. The discussion primarily revolved around election regulations, political party registration, and enforcement measures. Active campaigning is disallowed in “unsafe environments” such as dining halls and lecture halls during non-class hours. Passive campaigning would still be allowed in those areas. Political parties, which are returning formally after several years, must officially register their names and platforms with the Elections Commission.

The Candidate Honor Code allows for fair criticism of opponents' policies and actions but prohibits misinformation. Additionally, pre-campaigning is limited to informal discussions without active promotion. It was also clarified that violations in a campaign by managers would be addressed and the individual would be sanctioned.

Another key topic included restrictions on political party names—they should not infringe on existing political parties, whereas similar acronyms are acceptable. An example used was that DOGE is an acceptable acronym for a party name provided that it does not stand for the Department of Government Efficiency.

There were mild discussions on the extent to which groups that aren’t political parties, like The Poly, could endorse candidates. It was clarified that organizations unaffiliated with political parties have full liberty to endorse whosoever they wish to.

The Elections Commission was identified as responsible for their website updates, assisted by WebTech. The system that runs the elections website, the Rensselaer Union Voting System, Mental health resources for candidates were confirmed, and it was noted that volunteering for GM Week counts as service but does not include certain election-related activities like poll-sitting or debate filming.

This Student Senate meeting was held on February 4, 2025. The Student Senate meets every Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Shelnutt Gallery.