The Election Committee announced yesterday morning that the position of Vice President has been removed from the fall election.

UTICA – SUNY POLY. The Student Government at Utica Election Committee sent out a campus announcement email yesterday morning, sharing that the Committee had removed the position of Vice President from the fall election. Jasmatie Lutawan, who was sworn in as Vice President on September 10th, will instead serve for the remainder of the academic year.

When the election was announced on September 3rd, it included on the ballot the position of Vice President, as no eligible student was serving or had been elected to that role during the most recent executive election in April. Consequently, interest had been expressed in running for this position – Jackson Beckmann, a sophomore and incumbent Senator, had announced his candidacy the day the election opened.

When asked for comment, Beckmann stated that he “..heavily disapprove[s] of the removal of the VP position from the fall election – but not for any disapproval of the VP herself. I'm sure she will do an excellent job. The process that allowed us to get here is what gripes me.” Beckmann noted that the last time Vice President Lutawan was legitimately voted into office by the public student body was in the fall semester of 2025, when she ran for Senator. He said he “..wish[ed] we had an election where we could have run against each other and anyone else who might have wanted to run for the Vice President spot,” but added, “again she will do a great job of course.”

Lutawan, a senior studying computer science and cybersecurity, was elected as a Junior Senator last fall. She was later elected within the Senate to the position of Senate Pro-Tempore, a designation that put her in charge of the Senate alongside the Vice President. Per Student Government’s Constitution, if the office of the Vice President is vacant, the Senate Pro-Tempore becomes the Vice President.

Senator Lutawan had ran unopposed for the position of Vice President during the executive election last spring, and was elected. However, at the time, Student Government policies forbade residential advisors from holding any executive positions. (Vice President Lutawan was an RA for Adirondack Hall last year and is an RA again this year.) These policies were changed to allow residential advisors to hold executive level positions two weeks ago during the first Senate meeting of the semester, a change that had been in public Senate discussions since March.

Typically, Senators are elected in the fall semester, and serve until the conclusion of the next year’s Senate election (e.g., a Senator elected in the fall of 2025 would serve as a Senator until the conclusion of the fall of 2026 election). Since Vice President Lutawan was just sworn in, and per the Election Committee’s announcement, she will instead serve until the next executive election at the end of the spring semester.

Students interested in running for Student Government positions should stop by the Center for Student Involvement Office or email sgu@sunypoly.edu for more information.

Written for the Wildcat Gazette Contact @ Proton Mail

On Saturday, SUNY Poly celebrated its 60th year with an anniversary gala dedicated to supporting student scholarships.

CAMPUS CENTER – THE GATHERING PLACE. The undeniable centerpiece of Wildcat Homecoming Weekend, SUNY Poly celebrated its 60th year last Saturday with an anniversary gala featuring fireworks, food, and more. The evening began with a 6pm cocktail hour – featuring an expansive charcuterie board – in the Campus Center atrium, which had been opened officially with a ribbon-cutting ceremony just four days beforehand. Current students were offered free admission; alumni and campus community members purchased $60 tickets, the proceeds of which will go to supporting student scholarships.

Dinner kicked off in The Gathering Place (formerly known as The Dish) in the Campus Center. Opening remarks were given by Brittany Morawiec, Vice President of Student Affairs; RoAnn Destito, chair of SUNY Poly’s College Council; Jasminka Husic, the Vice Chair of the SUNY Poly Foundation; and campus president Dr. Winston “Wole” Soboyejo. Each speaker spoke on SUNY Poly’s lasting impact, continued legacy, and looking forwards to the next six decades. After these remarks, a New York State Senate resolution commemorating SUNY Poly’s 60th anniversary was presented to President Soboyejo by the three state legislators in attendance.

The dinner featured entrees including lobster ravioli and roast beef, along with an assortment of salad options, pasta, and a popular mashed potatoes bar. Dessert included gluten-free chocolate cake, lava cake, ice cream, and chocolate beignets. After dinner, attendees were encouraged to return to the lobby where President Soboyejo took over the DJ station, bringing guests to participate in a delightful chain dance. Fireworks over the campus began at a quarter past nine and continued for twenty minutes or so, after which the party dispersed.

Information on the community sponsors that helped make the anniversary gala possible can be found on SUNY Poly’s website.

Written for the Wildcat Gazette Contact @ Proton Mail

Five students announced their candidacy for Senator last Thursday, joining four other other students running for Student Government Senate.

STUDENT CENTER – MPR. This past Thursday, five students announced their candidacy for Student Government at Utica (SGU) Senator. They join four other students who have declared themselves candidates for the Senate election – two of whom are sitting senators – Adem Kapo and Matthew Rose.

The Student Government Senate has fifteen seats, with three representatives from each class: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and Graduate. Currently, the Senate only has three sitting members – several Senators graduated last spring or declined to return to Student Government.

In addition to the ongoing Senate election, there is a ‘special election’ for several Executive-level Student Government positions. These include the Chief Justice, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Vice President, and the student representative to SUNY Polytechnic’s College Council. Jackson Beckmann, who served as a Freshman Senator last year, has announced his candidacy for Vice President; Emma Spann, a sophomore Biology student, has announced their candidacy for Chief Justice; and last Thursday, a student announced their candidacy for Secretary.

Notably, nobody has yet put themselves forward as a candidate for College Council Student Representative. The ten-seat College Council advises the campus, with nine of its members appointed by the governor of New York, and the tenth member elected from among the student body.

Any students interested in running for Student Government positions should stop by the Center for Student Involvement Office or email sgu@sunypoly.edu for more information.

Written for the Wildcat Gazette Contact @ Proton Mail