Sustain Mizzou elects new executive board

Four of the six positions were filled at the meeting Wednesday.

By Megan Donohue

Published Nov. 13, 2009

Elections were held at the Sustain Mizzou meeting Wednesday night to appoint new members into four of the six executive positions.

Emily Albertson and Tina Casagrand remain as president and vice president of projects, respectively. The new executives are Emily Smoucha as communication vice president, Grace Rathert as administration vice president, Rachel Brunner as treasurer and Maggie Holleman as secretary.

Smoucha and Rathert were the only nominations for their positions, and Brunner and Holleman ran against other candidates.

"I was happy to get the position, but there was nobody else who really wanted it. It was really just me," Smoucha said. "Tina (Casagrand) nominated me and nobody else said they wanted to run, so it wasn't a surprise or anything like that, but I am looking forward to holding a position."

A general meeting was held where members could either nominate themselves or other members. Once people were nominated, they accepted or rejected the nomination. If they accepted the it, then they stood up and explained why they wanted the position.

"I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to exercise working with money since I am majoring in ag-economics and I am in accounting right now and I feel like it will be a good experience for the future," Brunner said.

Once they plugged themselves, they were asked to leave the room and the executive board discussed any concerns they might have had. Votes were cast and the nominee was called back in and told whether they received the position, Smoucha said.

"I was very excited to have the chance to be on the exec board again," said Brunner, who was administration vice president a year ago.

The newly elected executives do hold their positions, but they will be training and transitioning over the next few weeks before they can fully assume their responsibilities this upcoming semester, Brunner said.

The executives who are abdicating their positions next semester are Treasurer Jonathan Klamm, Communication Vice President Billy Froeschner, Administration Vice President John Gardner and Secretary Rathert, who will be assuming the position of administration vice president.

"Jonathan did a really great job, and I am going to pick up where he left off on a few things, such as carrying out the idea to provide local food at the meetings instead of pizza, and so I will be working towards that goal next semester," Brunner said.

Smoucha said she does not see too many changes that need to be made to the position of communication vice president.

"I think that Billy did a really great job at everything that he did. I hope to get some time to learn from him how he took care of everything," Smoucha said. "I don't see any problems with the way things are."

Smoucha, who is in charge of Sustain Mizzou's magazine, "Footprint," said she is excited to take up her new position.

"Being VP of communication is a way for me to get more involved, be on the exec board and help make decisions about what we are doing as an organization," Smoucha said.

Each of the positions handles separate tasks within the club, but the executive board as a whole is involved in making bigger decisions and participating in general planning, Smoucha said.