Elections bring new leadership to campus

Students from Richmond College, Westhampton College and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies elected new presidents of their respective government associations for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Junior Suren Daryanani was elected president of the Richmond College Student Government Association, junior Ali Amaral was elected president of the Westhampton College Government Association and junior Alex Cramer was elected president of the Jepson Student Government Association.

Daryanani, an economics major and history minor, received 228 votes, while Jason Viglianti, also a junior, received 86 votes. Both candidates had previously served two terms as RCSGA senators. Approximately 20 percent of Richmond College students voted in this year's election, which represents a decrease from the 46 percent of students who voted in last year's election.

In light of the low voter turnout, Daryanani said he wanted more students to become engaged in the governance process during the next year.

"I don't want you to say 'I should have,'" he said. "I want you to say 'I did.'"

Daryanani identified his three primary initiatives as improving student access to off-campus transportation so more students could see what the city has to offer, increasing student organization funding through separate endowment pots for specific organizations, and improving diversity and inclusivity by making students more aware of events.

Daryanani is a native of Curacao and has been a student admissions representative, tour guide, resident assistant and president of the South Asian Student Alliance.

Amaral, an international studies major and leadership studies minor from Green Valley, Calif., previously served two years as class of 2011 president. She is also a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and the Richmond Rowdies executive board, and was an orientation adviser in August 2008.

During the campaign, Amaral said she would hold events that would unify the campus community, improve the relationship between students and the Greater Richmond community through better means of transportation, and ensure that housing environments are conducive to the needs of students and foster a communal atmosphere.

"I am a firm believer that as a unified front, we as Westhampton College students, Richmond College students, and University of Richmond students will accomplish great things and leave an incredible legacy," she said.

Cramer, from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a leadership studies major with minors in business administration and law and the liberal arts. He ran unopposed and previously served as a JSGA senator.

"As a newly elected president, I have big shoes to fill," Cramer wrote in an e-mail. "Steve Handy has done a wonderful job as President of JSGA for the past year, and I hope that I am able to leave a similar legacy."

Cramer said he hoped to encourage more Jepson students to become involved in the Richmond community.

Contact staff writer Jimmy Young at jimmy.young@richmond.edu