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For more than 20 years, the Greek Political Action Committee debate has been the best opportunity for the Greek community to meet the candidates for Student Government president and to hear their plans. It is a chance for Greek organizations to decide whom they feel will best represent their interests as well as those of the entire student body. However, this year something is wrong with GPAC, which threatens its importance to the campaign season and ability to represent Greeks. In short, the rules are altered and someone is trying to steal GPAC. For its entire history, GPAC has given each chapter two delegates, each with a vote. These delegates listen to the debate before casting their vote, which determines who receives the endorsement of the Greek community. This system gave an equal voice to every organization, since most Greeks face similar issues. But this year that is changing. Ben Duncan, president of the Interfraternity Council, has overseen a major overhaul of the rules and regulations. Under his new system, chapters now receive votes based on their size, creating inequality. This year, the president of each organization is required to attend the event and if he or she cannot make it, Duncan will choose their replacement rather than allow the chapter to pick its own delegate.
Now, this might not seem so suspicious until you throw a little dash of politics into the mix — then it stinks to high heaven. Duncan is highly involved with SG presidential candidate Ryan Smith and running mate Kelsey Hayes and is quietly coordinating their campaign. Rather than excuse himself from the planning of the debate, he expressed in e-mails that it was “his debate.†Duncan is also a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, which is one of the largest on campus, while Smith is a member of Sigma Chi, also one of the largest. It should be no surprise then that Duncan changed the rules to favor larger organizations like his own while stifling the voice of smaller chapters. Additionally, this is the first year the National Pan-Hellenic Council will take part in the GPAC debate. NPHC consists of African-American fraternities and sororities which tend to be much smaller that those of IFC and Panhellenic. It is interesting that while including them, Duncan also strips them of the voter equality they would have enjoyed under the traditional system. He did not confer with their president and falsely included their endorsement on the rules he sent to candidates and chapter presidents.
I understand that the campaign of Colby Khoshreza and Laura Newton expressed concerns to Duncan about this debate, but they were met with downright rude and hateful e-mails. This leaves me with no choice but to present you the facts. Duncan is a key member of the Smith/Hayes campaign and has revamped the rules of GPAC in a way that is unfair and wrong. He has given more votes to larger organizations like his own, as well as Smith’s and Hayes’. He gave himself the power to choose certain delegates — most likely those he feels will vote for his candidate. This is downright shameful and reeks of Rob Blagojevich dirty politics.
In summary, a close insider of the Smith/Hayes campaign has changed all the rules in one side’s favor, erasing equal representation while entrenching the power of large organizations. Shame on you, Ben Duncan. As a Greek, I am very disappointed in your actions. But after all, when you consider the debate that is supposed to equally represent the entire Greek community as “your debate†and refuse to let anyone tell you how to run “my debate,†I guess your actions should be expected.
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Colin Thomas Wheeler
political science junior
Colin,
You’re wrong. Quit crying.
Sincerely,
The Campus
Equality???
We vote for the President of the US the same way you clutz…Kentucky gets 8, California get 55…
Wake up.
Not a SG Enthusiast,
You’re right. That is the way that our country votes for our president. We’ve been using that method for many years now. However, if GPAC felt that it was so important to model their voting system after our nation’s, why did they choose this year to change the rules? It seems too suspicious to me. And insulting the author of the letter does not change that. It just shows how immature you are in your pathetic attempt to defend your friend, Ben Duncan.
Yeah, there obviously is never an appropriate time to reform a broken system. Here’s what’s rich: Colby lost 62-10 with the new formula for tabulating votes. This kid is crying, but they are crocodile tears. What would the count have been under the old style? 25-10. Man up.
I also think the part of Colin’s article was to point out the close ties between Duncan and the Smith Hayes campaign. This relationship caused them to have an unfair advantage in the debate. I attended the debate and it was obvious that Smith and Hayes knew the questions in advance, as they were basically reading notes. So, it’s about more than just the voting system.
It wouldn’t matter, Colby would have lost anyway
Allison,
It’s SGA at UK…
How could you not know what questions are going to be asked?!?!
I guarantee the questions asked have not changed in the last decade. When folks like Colin take this so serious, it is important to show how ridiculous they are being…honestly, he needs to relax.
A. these comments reek of student government insiders pissed about being called out..is j rupp in the house? i think so….
B. its funny that you use a rigged system as proof of your superiority
C. Ben Duncan is a bold faced liar, you know it and so do i.
D. its not about whether we needed reform, it about when and how it was done and it was done in a shady manner
+1
about time
Political hypocrisy at its finest. Colin Wheeler, before you call out Ben Duncan, how about you mention your own affiliations? And Colin, you didn’t mention the SHAC debate. I wonder why? Oh wait, they were all but staged by Colby and his “girlfriend.” Luckily for Colby’s campaign, the seven people who were in attendance at the debate really gave him a good sample of what the student body wants. One more thing: you point out that Sigma Chi and Delta Tau Delta get more votes, but what you fail to recognize is how Delta Sig (DSig Bo Milburn is on Colby’s ticket and campaigns for him) and other Greek organizations also benefited greatly from this reorganization as well. While I recognize that changes need to be made in our SG, I cannot help but think that Colby’s dirty campaign with all of his anti-Greek remarks has not played in his favor.
It’s hilarious how much weight both the greek system and SG give the position. I mean the majority of campus knows what’s up: the president gets elected, redecorates the SG office (spending thousands of $$$ in the process), promises a lot, builds a ton of “task forces” that never do anything (see: meal plan), plans galas for his/her buddies, and then quietly leaves. Hell, sometimes SG runs out of money long before the semester is out (and isn’t that the main point of SG? You know, to fund student organizations?).
You know, I have known Colin from the beginning of my freshman year. And personally, I don’t like him at all. But I commend him for being brave enough to step up and speak out against this corruption.
Regardless of your thoughts, Smith/Hayes will do the most for this campus. Its funny how thoses who promise change and want to fight “corruption” are those that have dirty secrets of their own. (See Elliott Spitzer.) Some above responders speak of the inability of SG as a whole, and I think it is a fair representation of the US governent and too quote Obama, “An ocean liner that is difficult to change.: It is funny that Colin, decides to point out that its unfair to give greek organizations votes based on their sized, which is the same system used by the US. it is even funnier to point that if we used the outdated system GPAC used up until this year, Colin’s prized promising policitican Obama wouldn’t have even sniffed the Oval Office.
As a response to Smith/Hayes knowing the questions in advance, please don’t confuse a true sense of hard work and preparation, for someting worthy of 99% of Obama’s nominees seemingly inability to pay their taxes. See cheating on taxes.
May the best candidate win, in which case Smith/Hayes should be voted for.
Best,
A concerned student
if you are implying that colin has had an affair on his wife with a hooker…pretty heady stuff…but seriously your mindless drone devotion to student government is pathetic. also, you student government types seem to be stuck on your loss to obama in the election…GET OVER IT! obama won, and the republican lost. in the same way it is about time that student government had a little house cleaning…
as for your “true hard work” thats the best line i have heard all day. its one of the oldest tricks in the book, i am in no way surprised that they do it it only speaks to their level of integrity they would bring to SG. colins article doesnt seem to say that the change to the GPAc rules was necessarily bad, only that the timing was suspicious for the reasons ben duncan is obviously working with ryan and kelsey and that its also the first year the debate included black fraternities and sororities.
oh and for all you people trying to use the US gov. model for elections to justify your backroom actions maybe you should open up you civics text book and look up the United States Senate. A fascinating institution it awards two seats to each state…gasp! regardless of size! (but you republicans lost that too this year so you may not remeber). now the system does utilize both proportional systems as well but dont try to pull the wool over my eyes.
smith hayes supporters, your incessant defense of your shady actions speaks to how wrong you are. Colby and Laura are the best candidates hands down. while ryan smith was off setting up velvet ropes from ole W, Colby was here on campus working for all student…even whiners like yourselves. all your comments show that you are running scared… no matter what happens in this election there are alot of students sick of your business as usual strategy in SG. Get used to it because your times almost up…what dont like competition?
oh so my fraternity president showed me this….no connection with the campaign huh?
Forwarded message ———-
From: Ben Duncan <benjaminaduncan@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Subject: Note from IFC President
To:
Fellow Greeks,
It is imperative that we, as the Greek community, support our candidates. Please head to http://www.uksga.org and vote for Smith/Hayes for President/Vice President. It takes two seconds.
This is going to be a very close election. WE MUST VOTE TO ENSURE OUR VOICE IS HEARD!!
Smith/Hayes UNDERSTANDS the concerns of the Greek community and will be our biggest advocates as we fight to keep our recruitment in the fall and work to secure housing properties within the new “Greek Row.” Now is NOT the time to let SG take a step backwards. We need leadership that has experience within the Greek community and will take our concerns to the administrator level of decision-making.
Please do us, and the student body as a whole, a tremendous favor and head to http://www.uksga.org and vote for Ryan Smith and Kelsey Hayes.
Thank you. Have a great day! Please call me with any questions/comments, I would be able to provide numerous examples of why Smith/Hayes is the best choice for UK!
–
Ben Duncan
President, Interfraternity Council
(614) 588 – 3288
benjaminaduncan@gmail.com
i thought colin was just bitching before but know i see what he is talking about
SO you should all vote for the right choice now that Ben Duncan corruption is apparent!