Eaton claims vp finance position
Spencer Van Dyk | Fulcrum Staff
THE VP FINANCE position for the 2013-2014 Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) executive went to Student Action affiliate David Eaton.
The fourth-year international development student claimed more than 60 per cent of the votes for the position, receiving approximately 1,000 votes more than the opposing independent candidate Roy Younes, according to preliminary results.
“I am ecstatic right now,” Eaton said after the results were announced. “I can see that all the work we’ve put into this has paid off, and students have chosen our platform and our mandate to lead us into the new school year.”
Eaton has been working for the Board of Administration (BOA) for the past two years, which included working as a part of the finance committee. He said he looks forward to working with the Student Action affiliates, all of whom won their respective positions.
“From day one, I knew this was going to be a really excellent team,” he said. “I think we’re going to be a great representation for students and the federation.”
Eaton said his biggest hurdle as vp finance will be ensuring the proper representation of all students, and he looks forward to the opportunity to meet with students and discuss plans for the new federation executive.
“First thing I plan on doing is sitting down with students and really making sure that we can put our plans into place,” he said. “They obviously elected [Student Action] based on our ideals, and we want to make sure we’re doing things right.”
Younes expressed his distaste for the way this year’s campaigns were run.
“I’m obviously disappointed,” he said. “I didn’t like the affiliation process, personally. We found out way too late. If we would’ve known, obviously we all would’ve created a bigger team and taken advantage as well.”
Younes said running for an SFUO position again next year is not out of the question for him, but because he is a fourth-year student, doing so would depend on his graduation date.
The economics major and business administration minor offered some advice to Eaton going forward.
“Make sure he works out the spreadsheets properly,” he said. “Make sure he looks at the debt, and doesn’t accumulate the debt. Also, just have fun.”
Eaton remarked on how hard his affiliation worked for the results they achieved on election night.
“The best part of this has been getting to talk to students on the ground, and that is something we really did well this week and over the course of the elections,” he said.
Eaton will take up office with the rest of the incoming SFUO executive in May.
