Fall 2023 GISA Elections Results

By The Graduate Press Editorial Board

Over the weekend, Graduate Institute students made their voices heard and elected five new members to the GISA Executive Committee. The Graduate Press is pleased to be breaking the results and a statement from the GISA President, Samuel Pennifold. 

The positions of VP of PhD Programmes, Communications Director, Administrative Director, President of the Welfare Committee, and President of the Environmental Committee were up for election this weekend. The results are as follows:

VP of PhD Programmes: Nivedita Joon, PhD in International Relations and Politics (78.9%)

Abstain (18.4%)

Write-in Candidate (2.6%)

Communications Director: Mary Morphew, MINT 2nd year (52.2%)

Meyha Sharma (30%)

Abstain (17.8%)

Administrative Director: Binar Mentari Malahayati, MINT 2nd year (32.1%)

Searra M Ruggeri (22.9%)

Sibasish Kumar Sen (17%)

Puru Rohilla (14.5%)

Abstain (13.5%)

Welfare Committee Co-Presidents: Anjali Rajesh Sabnis, IRPS 2nd year and Erika Shinabargar, MINT 2nd year (67.9%)

Sanket Somnath Bhokre (13.7%)

Pulkeet Mehra (13%)

Abstain (5.3%)

Environmental Committee President: Varun Vithalani, MINT 2nd year (50.1%)

Carlos Andres Montoya Acosta (19.3%)

Arghadeep Das (14.2%)

Abstain (15.8%)

Write-in Candidate (0.6%)

Students responded from every program and 393 votes were cast. The turnout rate for the election was 36.2%. All of the Masters students newly selected for the GISA Executive Committee are 2nd year students. Their platforms can be viewed here. The new members will take their posts on Monday, October 16th and will serve on the GISA Executive Committee for one year.

Statement from GISA President, Samuel Pennifold, MINT 2nd year:

“Firstly, I would like to thank all those members of the current Executive Committee who will be stepping down following these election results and congratulate them on their hard work. I would also like to thank those students who took the time to participate and vote in these elections. The turnout over the weekend represents an increase from last year’s efforts and is indicative of the positive momentum we at GISA are building within the student body. Long may that continue. The Executive Committee and I are looking forward to working with the newly elected members. We have accomplished a lot so far, and there is still much left to do.”