Khanna responds to election loss
Monday, March 10, 2008
Last night Derek Khanna released this statement to the Daily Collegian after losing his bid for next year's president of the Student Government Association. Khanna - and running mate Elizabeth Protzman - lost in what Student Trustee Lindsay McCluskey called a "landslide victory" for herself and Malcolm Chu.Khanna congratulated the future SGA president and student trustee while expressing hope that Chu would move away from his ties to the ALANA Caucus.
"I would like to begin by thanking UMASS, and more specifically all the students who helped our campaign and made my candidacy possible. On February 26th, when I formally announced, I was the youngest student running, facing stiff competition from two seniors and one junior, I myself a sophomore. I was amazed to see the success of my platform on this campus. No candidate has won against the Alana Caucus since they have become powerful, but our campaign is proud ofthe results it accomplished. It appears that we came in second place trailing by 5% of the UMASS campus, doubling the results of the candidate trailing us (although I must say, I liked the Daily Collegian online poll of me at 60% vs. 10% forMalcolm Chu slightly better). To all of you at UMASS, thank you for caring enough about UMASS to show up, stand up, and speak up for change for the future. I congratulate Malcolm Chu, and hope he will not carry on the legacy of the Alana Caucus candidates of years past, but rather forge a new direction, a direction that puts an end to ourmounting fee increases and holds our elected officials to a higher standard of accountability. As I have said, UMASS needs a new direction now more than ever, and as such, we must rise to the occasion. We face a new generation of challenges, challenges that threaten the affordability and reputation of our school— and thus challenges that affect our very future. I am convinced that unless UMASS changes course, we will soon fail to honor our school's mission statement of "affordable and accessible education of high quality." As such, driven by necessity, compelled by reason, our movement of change will march on, undeterred, unfettered in the pursuit of our platform, accountable to each and every one of you. There is much work to be done; running for President was just the beginning. Emboldened by our success, and confident of our ability to make a difference here at UMASS, I can proudly say that the battle has just begun. My allies and I will continue to persevere in the cause of affordability and accountability within the confines of the SGA."