The disputed Leonard Carmichael Society presidential election has been settled. The original result stands.
Junior Irit Lockhart lost the Monday, Nov. 14 election to juniors Garen Nigon and Arielle Traub. Sophomore Kim Petko also ran in the election, which was for the 2006 calendar year.
Lockhart filed a complaint with the Dean of Students Office, alleging the election was carried out in violation of the group's constitution.
The group's co-presidents for the 2005 calendar year, seniors Erin Poth and Mari Pullen, had invited members of the programming staff - about 85 students - to vote.
According to the constitution, the approximately 12-member directional staff is supposed to decide on the presidents, vice president and treasurer. The choices must then be ratified by two thirds of the programming staff.
After the complaint was filed, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman met with Lockhart. Reitman advised Lockhart on what could be included in a formal grievance.
Lockhart filed the grievance with Reitman Monday, Nov. 21.
Reitman then met with Poth and Pullen.
In conversations with Lockhart, Poth accepted that the election had violated the constitution. "The constitution was undeniably violated," Lockhart said.
Lockhart said she had not spoken to Pullen.
A new election was then required, but both Lockhart and Petko declined to run again. "Everybody else who was in the running has withdrawn, so it became somewhat of a moot point," Reitman said.
Nigon and Traub will be the group's co-presidents starting next semester.
There was initially discussion of naming Nigon and Traub interim presidents, with another election taking place next semester, but Poth, Pullen and Lockhart all agreed to not hold another election.
"It's been resolved to everybody's contentment," Reitman said.
Poth and Pullen informed the other directional staff members of the decision Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Pullen said Reitman's involvement was necessary because Lockhart had not raised the issue with the group's leaders. "It was never addressed internally," Pullen said.
The settlement avoided the need to bring the case to the Tufts Community Union Judiciary.
Lockhart will keep her position on the directional staff next semester as the One Day Events Chair. She said she feels comfortable remaining in the group's leadership. "I don't feel like my legitimacy as a D-Staff member is in question," she said.
The directional staff is currently reviewing the constitution, but no changes have yet been made. "It's not going to get finished until next semester," Pullen said.
