1st-year student voted new UPEI student union president
'It was exciting but it was shocking,' says Chelsea Perry
Students at UPEI have voted for freshman political science student Chelsea Perry from Richmond, P.E.I., to be their new student union president.
The byelection was forced after Hammad Ahmed resigned earlier this month. Perry said friends urged her to run.
"My initial reaction was no, that's absolutely insane — first years don't do that," she said.
"But the more I looked into it, the more I discovered it was an amazing opportunity and one that would really benefit [me] for the rest of my university career."
Results on the union's website show Perry received 432 votes, while Justin Clory received 377.
"I was very, very surprised by the results — it was exciting but it was shocking," Perry said, adding she thinks students saw an opportunity for a fresh face with her. "You get to know the campus and the students in a very unique way."
Only 3 months in office
However, Perry won't be president for long — her term ends May 1. Candidates for the next student union elections will announce their campaigns in a couple of weeks. Perry doesn't think she'll run for president again but may run to represent council in the UPEI Senate.
Her priority for this term is to continue council's work to revise the university's sexual assault policy and the student union's strategic plan, as well as improve openness and transparency for students to see what council is doing. That may include live-streaming meetings, she said.
Perry and other student union executives are not permitted take a full five-course load, so she's had to cut back to three courses per term.
Perry also plays for the university's field hockey team.
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With files from Laura Chapin