THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 123 ISSUE 133
AFTER FIVE WEEKS OF CAMPAIGNING
THE VOTE GOES TO
KUNITED
Libby Johnson, a senior from Lawrence, and Gabe Bliss, a sophomore from Olathe, react to the Student Senate election results Thursday evening at the Yacht Club. Johnson and Bliss won the president and vice-president seats as part of the KUnited coalition.
KUnited reigns winning the majority of the senate seats
BY JONATHAN SHORMAN jshorman@kansan.com
KUnited ensured control of the Student Senate presidency for another year Thursday, finishing strong in an election marked by a relatively strong turnout.
A BREAK DOWN OF SENATE
Libby Johnson, a senior from Lawrence in biology and psychology, and Gabe Bliss, a sophomore from Olathe in civil engineering, took 60 percent of the vote.
The total number of votes cast was 5,192, with Renew KU's presidential candidate Casey Briner and vice presidential candidate Josh Dean receiving 2,007 student votes for a total of 39 percent. Write-in candidates received 74 votes for a total of one percent.
Total voter turnout was 20.9 percent compared with 12 percent in 2010.
More than 40 people — including candidates, current president Michael Wade Smith and past president Mason Heilman — gathered at the Yacht Club to wait for the results. As KUH went live, Smith yelled for silence from the crowd, but the TV was quiet. It wasn't until a "President-elect Libby Johnson and Vice President-elect Gabe Bliss" graphic flashed on screen that the room erupted in racous applause and yelling.
"Our success is undeniable," Johnson said in a speech after the results. "We had a great, great turnout."
41 SEATS WON
The KUnited coalition, for the second year in a row, dominated student senate elections winning 41 out of 64 possible seats. Renew KU picked up 21 senate seats. Three of the election winners were listed as independent.
SEE KUNITED ON PAGE 6A
21 SEATS WON
KUJH Check out KUJH for more coverage of this week's elections and the reactions of the coalition members
Renew KU vows to continue with its platforms despite losses
BY ALEX GARRISON agarrison@kansan.com
It was likely never really about winning.
Members of the Renew KU coalition campaigned hard, but when the results — that KUited swept the elections, getting the presidential and vice-presidential spots with 60 percent of the vote as well as dominating seats as it has for 16 of the past 17 years — came in, the room of about 40 candidates and supporters was silent.
That was until presidential candidate Casey Briner summed up the feeling, echoed by others later, that being the underdog can be fun, but it also can hurt.
"We went into this knowing it would be a fight," she said.
It was a fight they maybe couldn't win, but they had faith that it was worth the effort.
"I don't run because I think I'm going to win," said Brian Gilmore, a senior from Topeka who was elected into a junior/senior College of Liberal Arts and Sciences seat. "I ran because I believe in this coalition."
Briner and vice-presidential candidate Josh Dean said they were proud of their coalition and also of the 20.9 percent voter turnout, almost 10 percent greater than last year.
"We did what we wanted to do." Briner said. "We started conversations that wouldn't have happened had we not run."
As the night continued, Renew KU members kept up their resolve.
SEE RENEW KU ON PAGE 6A
CRIME
Students vandalize Learned Hall cause damage to safety supplies
BY ALEX GARRISON agarrison@kansan.com
Edited by Samantha Collins
Several students reported a theft of a fire extinguisher and an erroneous discharge of a safety shower in a lab inside Learned Hall, at
15th and Naismith streets, early Saturday morning. The Public Safety Office report from the incident states that two 20-year-old men from Overland Park were arrested at the scene.
Public Safety assessed the damage at $45.
Learned, Eaton and Spahr Halls are unlocked at almost all times, said Jill Hummels, director of public relations for the School of Engineering.
CRIME
"Peeping Tom" shocks showerers
BY ROSHNI OOMMEN roommen@kansan.com
Three times this week, a man walked into a women's residence hall restroom, opened a shower curtain and watched a woman shower. Now the police are searching for that man, according to a press release by the KU Public Safety Office.
At 7:20 p.m. on Monday, the man walked into a women's restroom in Hashinger Hall and watched women
showering. At 7:30 a.m. Wednesday he went into a women's restroom in McCollum Hall and did the same thing. Shortly afterward, at 7:40 a.m., another instance of voyeurism by the same man was reported.
The police report said that the man entered the dorms by "tailgating," which could either mean that he followed on students' heels into the building or waited around until someone unlocked the door. Captain Schuyler Bailey said
the KU Police are looking at video footage from the residence halls to see if they can find footage of the suspect.
"If we do get video of him, it will be released to the public." Bailey said.
The KU Public Safety Office is asking for any information available in finding the man. Its phone number is 785-864-5900.
Edited by Sarah Gregory
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
TICKETS | 3A
One more sentenced for KU ticket scandal
Charlette Blubaugh was sentenced for 57 months.
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