Election results: Parrott, Diaz winners

Mark Parrott and Sam Diaz III had separate victories after last week’s election.

Brittany Galla
News Editor

The online ballots were counted and two winners were announced last Friday: Mark Parrott is the new Student Trustee on the CSU Board of Trustees and Sam Diaz III is the class of 2008 Senior Class President.

Parrott got a total of 204 votes out of the 359 people who voted, winning by 49 votes over opponent Melissa Kurowski.

Diaz got 116 votes out of the 169 who voted, winning by 63 votes over opponent Mollique Johnson.

“I am very excited to be in the position and effectively make change,” said Parrott, a senior business administration major, who plans on staying a trustee during his upcoming two years as a graduate student here.

As trustee, he will act as the student liaison between the CSU administration and the student body, making sure that the student voice is always represented. He will have a vote when it comes to all issues that affect student life—ranging from residence hall policies to tuition costs.

Over the summer, Parrott plans on e-mailing students to hear concerns and just talk with students to ensure communication on all levels, he said.

“We need to become student centered. Make students involved and aware to create a better community,” he said. “It’s a trickle-down effect—we need to communicate with the administrative staff and have accountability with student leaders to tell students what is going on.”

Parrott lists his top problems as: getting news about registration, graduation, academic planning, and physical problems, like the flooding and parking.

“I want to make students aware overall,” he said. “They don’t know where our tuition is going.”

Parrott said any student can e-mail concerns at parrottm1@southernct.edu.

“I am a realistic ear for students and I can only do what is brought up to me—I need the push from students,” he said. “Just know we can’t do an effective job without the support of students.”

Diaz is already excited about leading the senior class, as he is busy planning a student forum to take place in the next two weeks before the semester ends.

“I was very surprised I won; I knew it was going to be tough because both of us are very active on campus,” he said, “I’m happy.”

Diaz has a lot of plans for the year: a pre-game senior event right before the senior trip, senior bar night, senior ball, teaming up with the career center, holding a graduating workshop and other projects such as a bi-weekly newsletter online and in print that details important dates in addition to upcoming events and graduate schools to look into.

Diaz said he is looking to the Dominican Republic as a place for the senior trip, but plans on meeting with

Sal Rizza, assistant director of Student Life, to go over the senior budget and the trip rules.