You’d think knowing your Student Assembly candidates a few days early wouldn’t cause much of a ruckus. You’d think that, but you’d be wrong. According to SA Elections Commission Chair Jennifer Souers ’10, letting the cat out of the bag might just send a person to the Honor Council.
p. Last week, after receiving information from a source who asked to remain anonymous, The Flat Hat published the names of the candidates running in this year’s election. Occasionally, we will print information from trustworthy anonymous sources when, in our discretion, we believe that the information is valuable and requires anonymity. We will not break that trust by compromising the confidentiality.
p. In the wake of our decision, however, Souers has threatened the informant with charges of an Honor Code violation should she discover his or her identity.
p. We find the affair overblown. Students would have received the information anyway. Souers, though, has said the early release calls the election’s integrity into question because voters will have formed preconceived notions. Because of her overzealous response, she has opened the door for anyone to appeal the results. Will sending the offending party before the Honor Council cause voters to rescind their preconceptions? And more pressing, can the offense even warrant that action? The answer on both counts is no.
p. Though Souers’s actions venture too far, we cannot fault her for trying to uphold an outdated set of elections rules. An overhaul ought to be in the works, but for now we hope the elections can play out sans difficulty.