St. Lawrence’s storied Thelomathesian Society [Thelmo] recently experienced one of the quickest turn- arounds in student leader- ship it could have. Just 24 hours after the resignation of the now former President Alexander Reyes ‘23. The Thel- mo Senate elected to confirm new Vice President of Senate Affairs [VPSA], Fousani Hamidou ’24 in the very first hour of Hannah Crow’s ’23 tenure as President.

Crow was elected at the end of the fall 2021 semester to succeed Reyes as the VPSA. This was a position that she held for several weeks before making the decision to resign because of personal reasons at the beginning of last semester (spring 2022). Charles Shaw ‘22 was appointed to succeed her by the senate and served for the remainder of the semester before graduating, leaving the seat vacant for the administration to fill. Thelmo constitutionality at the time required her reappointment to the position upon start of the Fall ‘22 semester.

The Thelmo Executive board, which consists of all of the elected Thelmo officers, was quick to appoint Crow as the VPSA at the beginning of this semester. This position is allowed to be filled in this manner according to the constitution, although it does tend to generate this bias during this process. Nothing was out of the ordinary about this process and it is common for a member of the Executive board to be appointed. However, Crow was elected to VPSA just under a year ago by a very different student body; to top that, she was appointed, which means she no longer can claim to have been elected by the student body.

Now Thelmo’s two most powerful members are ap- pointed rather than elected which is technically constitutional, but certainly not right. This isn’t a hit on any of the new executive members but rather a call for the students to be represented by someone of their choice.

The student body deserves direct a say in who is governing it, and it shouldn’t be determined based on who you happen to rub shoulders with. The students do have an option, however. Article XIV Section 6 of the constitution provides students with an option to be heard. The student body has the ability to petition for a recall of Executive Board Officers if they can get half of the previous electorate (the number of voters) to agree that they want to initiate a recall election.

The student body should sign petitions to initiate the recall election because if they do not, they are allowing a previous administration to decide their leaders. Leaders should not be appointed: they should be elected. The student body didn’t vote for Hannah Crow to be president, and they should have the opportunity to if they so choose.

Representatives are meant to reflect those they represent, and someone who is appointed is unable to do so. The students deserve to have a chance to vote on some- one to be their President and VPSA, they deserve to have a say in this turnover. It’s only fair that they get that opportunity. Push your friends. Push your Senators. Push your Chairs. Recall Hannah Crow and Fousani Hamidou. Let the students decide for themselves.