BOE chairman-select Dakota Williams targets Student Code

The Student Code is anything but a bedtime story for most.

But for Board of Elections chairman-select Dakota Williams, it will be just that.

“I will know Title VI,” he said, of the portion of the Code dealing with student elections. “I’m going to read it every night before I go to bed.”

That Code title became the stuff of nightmares during a contentious student election season saturated with complaints running the gamut from early campaigning to candidate eligibility.

The Student Supreme Court delayed the release of election results after candidate Ian Lee was challenged for not stepping down as student body secretary. Some interpreted Title VI as prohibiting the student body secretary and other high-ranking student government members from campaigning while in those roles.

Student Congress passed a bill to clarify the wording in March, but former student body president Hogan Medlin vetoed it. Williams said he plans to continue revising Title VI and hopes to have a framework ready by August.

Previously, Williams served as Medlin’s student body treasurer and as speaker of Student Congress. He was also senior vice president of the Association of Student Governments this year.

Although he can no longer participate in the legislative or executive branches, he will take an active role in clarifying Title VI, he said.

“People at UNC-Wilmington gossip to people at Appalachian State about how bad our elections are,” he said.

“I don’t want that to be that way. Students get wary of it, and that’s when students see student government at its worst.”

Williams initially planned to continue his involvement in student government by applying for student body treasurer, but he did not receive the position. He said considered quitting student government when he wasn’t selected.

“But I just couldn’t. That is my drive, that is my passion, to just help students,” he said.

Though he can’t personally introduce bills, Williams said he can convince others to write reforms to Title VI.

“The people I’ve talked to are pretty open about it,” he said. “They also recognize problems, and I think I certainly will have a seat at the table when they go through election code.”

Williams introduced a bill to change another portion of the Student Code, Title V, which would simplify the funding process for student organizations. This bill was rejected and will likely be reintroduced next fall.

But Williams said his main focus will be the Board of Elections next year.

He was appointed as chairman by the executive branch and awaits confirmation by Student Congress next Tuesday, Student Body President Mary Cooper said.

She said she chose Williams because of his passion and respect for the Student Code and his desire for a clean election.

“He’ll just have a standard of, ‘These are the rules, we will enforce them, do not break them,’ and really emphasize to the candidates for all positions the importance of following those rules,” she said.

Andrew Phillips, the board’s current chairman, said he would bounce ideas off of Williams during the election.

“We have different personalities and perhaps different approaches, but I think he is well-qualified and will do a good job,” he said.

Williams said he dislikes the current election process, which he says awards manipulative candidates.

“I want to make it so the candidates can battle on who has the best ideas and who’s going to help students the most,” he said.

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