UA President Miramonti resigns
Juniors Wynter and David new president and vice president
Undergraduate Association President Allan E. Miramonti ’13 announced his resignation in a campuswide email last Wednesday, citing his need to “refocus” on academics and well-being. Miramonti’s vice president, TyShaun Wynter ’13, assumed the presidency immediately.
Yesterday evening, Wynter said he would nominate Amanda C. David ’13, the 2013 Class Council president, as his vice president. She will not officially take office until confirmation by the new UA Council (under the UA’s new constitution, a vice presidential appointment must be approved by 13 members of the 21-member Council).
Wynter himself was appointed by Miramonti. He assumed the role of vice president after the vice president-elect, Alec C. Lai ’13, resigned in April 2011. Since Wynter never ran for election, the UA’s top two spots will be occupied by unelected officials this term.
Miramonti, who was the first non-senior UA president since at least 1994, took office at the end of the spring semester and oversaw a substantial UA restructuring effort last term. The UA Senate was dissolved in December, and a UA Council comprised of dormitory and FSILG representatives will take its place this coming term.
“This past semester has seen the creation of a new UA, the beginnings of new trust between students and administrators, and countless small projects around campus,” wrote Miramonti. “While I have enjoyed the job, it is necessary for me to refocus on my studies and well-being.”
Wynter says that Miramonti informed him of the decision about two weeks ago — when Wynter returned to campus — and the two have worked since then to prepare for the transition. “We spent between then and now making sure I was ready … making sure there wouldn’t be a breakdown in leadership,” Wynter said last Wednesday.
“I feel quite confident going into the semester,” Wynter added.
Wynter said that it was unfortunate that Miramonti was stepping down, but that it should not necessarily be seen as a “bad thing.” He assumes the presidency amidst the UA’s transition to a new government.
“This presents a unique opportunity,” he said. “With a new group of people, it’s a good thing there’s a new person to lead them.”
The new UA council will meet this week at the earliest, according to Wynter. He said it was “likely” that dormitories would select their presidents to represent them on the Council by this time.
IFC President Thomas A. Anderson ’13 said in an email last night that the IFC will decide how to select their representatives this Wednesday, adding that one of the IFC’s four representatives would be himself. Panhel President Denzil Sikka ’13 said that Panhel is currently deciding how to select their representatives, and that one of their three representatives would be herself. Earlier restructuring plans called for IFC and Panhel presidents to serve on the Council, though the UA now gives them wider latitude to select representatives.
David will retain her position as Class Council president after assuming the vice president role. “It’s important that my class knows I’m not going to abandon them in any way. I do have full intentions to commit to UA VP and Class President.”
“Personally, I love Class Council. I see Class Council as my hobby and it’s something I don’t want to leave,” she added.
David, who said she scaled back her course load this term to allow time to serve as UA vice president, was Class of 2013 vice president as a freshman, and has been Council president for the past two years. As UA vice president, she will likely have the job of managing internal UA matters, especially when it comes to the organization’s myriad policymaking committees.
“With my history as Class Council leader … I’m strong in managing groups and working with logistics. So the HR interior role of VP is conducive to my skillset,” said David. She has also served as the UA’s assistant vice president for class council coordination.
As vice president, David says she’d like to work towards creating a “positive environment” for the UA’s members, encouraging them to want to be a part of the government. She would not say whether she plans to run for president or vice president in the March UA elections.
Miramonti’s is the latest in a string of resignations that the UA has seen over the past year. Several newly-elected senators resigned in the fall, right on the heels of the high-profile resignation of Lai in April. UA member retention has been cited as an issue the restructuring efforts will fix, according to a succession of UA committees that tackled restructuring.