Unlike in past years, we’ve been nearly silent on (or supportive of) Student Association endeavors this semester, mainly because this year’s leadership has shed the body’s traditionally acute knack for scandal, controversy and alcoholic tendencies. But thankfully, we still have the Assembly for limitless editorial fodder.

The recent series of election disputes in Newing College has re-affirmed our disbelief in the SA. It’s a vintage mishap that manages to showcase first-class incompetence and possible Jewish disenfranchisement ‘ with a healthy dose of probable corruption.

On Sept. 22, sophomore Travis Rochon was, for whatever reason, left off the ballot for the Student Assembly election. He called for another vote, ‘because he was improperly informed of election proceedings.’ A bold campaign slogan, to say the least.

He was awarded a re-election by the Ad Hoc Elections Committee and beat an enthusiastic freshman, Tyler Albertario ‘ who had been elected before the Committee’s decision ‘ by one vote. When the adults do elections, such a small margin of victory would be reason enough for a runoff.

The second election was conducted via online survey on Saturday, Oct. 2. According to the Newing College Council, this unfairly excluded Jewish students from voting. According to the Speaker of the Assembly, Randal Meyer, Jewish students observing the Sabbath had about an hour to vote, since he said Shabbat ended at 6:54 p.m. He defended the second election, despite the claims of marginalization and other accusations of impropriety (See Page 1, ‘Disputes arise over online voting’).

According to www.chabad.org, Shabbat ended on at 7:27 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 in Vestal. This would have left even less time for Jewish residents to vote in the election.

Newing’s contemporary controversy is just another chapter in the never-ending story of SA failures in electioneering.

In the legislative branch of our student government, grievances are as common as (if not more common than) substantive legislation and the only thing the Assembly members seem to be good at is screaming about how bad their colleagues are. This petty game of grievances serves nothing but the ego of the participants, and it handicaps the already crippled Assembly.

The fallout from the botched Sept. 22 election promises that this year will still prove to be a comedy of errors. We’ll be waiting.