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Dear Students,

In light of recent events surrounding the election, we would like to address some points that may be causing confusion. Reflecting on last year’s election season, we acknowledge that it was unique, with three Presidential and Vice-Presidential teams competing against each other. Given the highly competitive nature of last year’s process, this year’s election was inherently less engaging and might have led to some confusion. However, we want to emphasize that this year's election, unprecedented in its nature, has contributed to some of the confusion and delays in the process.

We also acknowledge that the results of this year’s election were not announced in a timely manner. According to the SGA Bylaws, “The results of the elections, including the total number of ballots cast for each qualified candidate, shall be officially announced no later than forty-eight hours after the official closing of the polls” (Bylaw VIII; Section IV; Clause g; iii; 1). We understand that the results were announced later than expected. However, please note that this delay was due to a request from the SGA Advisors and Biola Administrative Advisory, who asked for additional time before releasing the results to ensure that all processes were followed correctly and that the conclusions drawn from the results were accurate, given the unprecedented nature of the situation.

We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the situation regarding the Presidential election specifically. Although the Presidential candidate ran unopposed and received enough total votes to meet the required threshold, they did not meet the minimum number of positive votes necessary to secure a victory. According to the SGA Bylaws, “If a President and Senior Vice President team runs unopposed, they must campaign in an effort to achieve a minimum vote threshold of 10% of the total undergraduate student body population” (Bylaw VIII; Section IV; Clause g; i; 3). This rule exists to ensure that the student body demonstrates a clear and meaningful preference for the candidate. In this instance, the voting results did not reflect a sufficient level of support for the candidate to be elected President. As a result, the threshold was not met, and no President was elected following the election.

Given the unprecedented nature of these circumstances, the current SGA President, Jacqueline McCauslin, and Senior Vice President, Andrew Ambrose, will lead the appointment process for a new President in accordance with the SGA Bylaws. However, they will not be making this decision alone. They will work in collaboration with the SGA Cabinet, Administrators, and other student leaders on campus, all of whom will play a role in the appointment process. Once the new SGA President is appointed, they will then be responsible for appointing their Senior Vice President. The newly appointed President and Senior Vice President will work together to appoint individuals to any positions that remain unfilled following the SGA election process. We ask that you, the student body, pray for Jacqueline, Andrew, and all those involved as they carry out this important task of appointing the next student leader for Biola.

Serving Christ with you,

Sean O'Hara
SGA Vice President of Human Resources
Chair of SGA Elections Committee

Contact your Senator if you have a concern or idea related to one of these areas. You will be put in contact with the appropriate staff member who oversees these partnerships.

• Administrative Partnerships (AP's)
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• Hammocks
  Check out a hammock for free in the SGA office and hang out with your friends outside of the Student Union Building! More hammock spots will be installed during the 18-19 school year.

• SGA Room Sponsorship
  SGA reserves tabling spots or rooms for students to conduct meetings or simple events. Intended activities must meet Biola's Community Standards in order to be approved. SGA sponsorship does not imply endorsement or financial support of the activity or event. Please email our office assistant at sga.office.assistant@biola.edu with time and location of your booking request.

Due to the rules established by Title IX, the amount of sports teams for both men and women have to be equal. If Biola were to add a men’s volleyball team, there would need to be another new women’s team as well, which Biola does not yet have funding for.

All residential students are required to purchase a meal plan due to the limited facilities on campus. Currently, Biola dorms are not equipped with the kitchen space and resources for every student to be able to cook for themselves. Commuter students are not required to purchase a meal plan.

Due to extensive plumbing requirements, draining issues and building codes, putting an ice machine in every building is significantly expensive and arduous for Biola's maintenance team. Currently, both lower and upper campus students have access to an ice machine. There is one in Hope for south campus residents, and another in Alpha for north campus residents.