Senior Gift Vote to Be Held Today

The online polls are open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. today on Student Central.

Last week some seniors couldn't vote because they were listed as juniors by the voting software, allowing them to vote for UNC's Homecoming king and queen but not for the senior class gift.

Although the problem was fixed by roughly 9 a.m., Board of Elections officials decided to reschedule the vote because seniors who voted earlier in the morning could not vote a second time.

Senior Class President Paymon Rouhanifard said a smaller turnout is expected today because the vote for Homecoming king and queen will not be included.

But he said such a small turnout might not be all bad.

"You never want to have a low turnout, but I think the people voting will be better informed," he said.

The senior class has revved up efforts this past week to get out the word about the vote.

"We are doing as much word-of-mouth as we can," Rouhanifard said. Announcements were sent out to senior listservs, and senior marshals are scheduled to announce the vote in their classes.

Elections board Chairman Brian Fauver said he is having seniors who could not vote last week try the revamped system and is running sample votes to ensure a smooth operation.

He also checked with Rick Kinney of UNC Administrative Information Services to ensure the vote goes as planned.

The problem that forced the postponement of the vote originated in last year's elections for senior class officers.

Fauver said students with senior status and fewer than seven semesters at UNC were listed as juniors in the voting system.

This enabled them to vote with their class for the senior officers.

But the class status for these students was not switched back to senior standing before last week's vote.

AIS will have to change the system again so that everyone can vote for senior officers next semester.

The seniors' gift options are an Undergraduate Library endowment, four glass etchings in the Campus Y building commemorating the Sept. 11 attacks and a special-needs scholarship through the Office of Scholarship and Student Aid.

Rouhanifard was prevented from casting his vote for the Sept. 11 memorial last week because of the glitch, but he said he thinks he will have his second chance to vote for a lasting tribute from the senior class.

"We are assuming all systems are go," he said.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.