Ellis Elected Student Government President

Candidates for OBU's elected student leadership offered their campaign speeches on OBU's annual Hyde Park Day, Wednesday, April 6, during the weekly chapel service.

The candidates for OBU's 2011-12 Student Government Association president included Neal Ellis, a rising junior from Midlothian, Texas, and Lexi Faught, a rising senior from Oklahoma City. Ellis won the election.

Candidates for student body vice-president included Ethan Linscott, a rising senior from Atoka, Okla., and Chuck Porter, a rising senior from Owasso, Okla. Linscott was elected to the post.

The offices of president and vice president for the senior and junior classes were uncontested. Those officers elected were Amity Walker, senior class president, from Shawnee; Ben Buchanan, senior class vice president, from Shawnee; Andrew Barker, junior class president, from Louisburg, Kan.; and Colin Tresch, junior class vice president, from Tulsa, Okla.

Sophomore class president and vice president candidates who were running mates included Paul Inman, from Okarche, Okla., and Rob Moore, from Edenvale, South Africa; and Tane Webb, from Hollis, Okla., and Kathryn Tyler, from Bedford, Texas. The winners of the election were Webb and Tyler.

Hyde Park Day was instituted at the university in 1958 after OBU President John W. Raley visited Hyde Park in London, England. At "Speakers' Corner" in Hyde Park anyone may set up a soap box and lecture all those in earshot on any topic. Spectators then are allowed to question the speaker. When the event started at OBU, based on the idea of free oratory, SGA candidates would gather in the Quadrangle on campus, set up "political booths" and vie for students' votes.

After the presentation of speeches during the current Hyde Park Day chapel, students are encouraged to vote for their preferred candidates at designated polling stations in the Geiger Center. The election polls closed at 3 p.m. on Hyde Park Day and following, results were posted at the SGA offices in the lower Geiger Center.

Freshmen class elections for president and vice president will be in the fall semester after the incoming students are able to familiarize themselves with the campus community.