The other election: Kochan claims USG presidency with overwhelming victory

The USG vice presidency is the stepping stone for the chief's job no longer. Joe Kochan '02 — who last year failed in his bid to become the USG vice president — was elected USG president yesterday, decisively defeating David Tukey '02 with more than 70 percent of the votes.

And with Brigitte Anderson '02's election to the USG vice presidency yesterday, next year's USG presidential election will again lack a number two seeking to become number one.

Anderson, new to the USG, barely slipped by USG senator Rolando Amaya '03 to win the USG vice presidential run-off with 52 percent of the votes.

Traci Strickland '02 was elected USG academics chair and West Owens '03 was elected USG social chair.

Turnout for the run-off — 1,917 students voted online — was higher this year than last year, when fewer than 1,300 students voted in the run-off for USG vice president.

No candidate for any of the contested USG executive offices won a majority of votes in the races last week, so a second round of voting was required to elect a USG president, vice president, social chair and academics chair.

"I'm very excited, clearly," said an ecstatic Kochan, who serves as USG chief of staff. "I'd thought a lot about when I'd find out but I hadn't thought a lot about what it would feel like. I'm very pleased."

Kochan — who promoted and worked extensively on USG president PJ Kim '01's chief initiatives such as the Visions of Princeton survey — is in some sense Kim's heir.

After a year behind the scenes for Kim, Kochan knows how to navigate University committees and can speak specifically about how individual administrative offices might be better equipped for students.

"It's good to know there will be good continuity," Kim said. "Both of them [Kochan and Tukey] would have done a great job."

But while praising Kim for collecting student views, Kochan said yesterday he hopes to turn over a new leaf by departing from Kim's main goal of soliciting student input.

"I'd like the USG to do more in the way of action," he said. "I think students really want substantial change in non-academic life here."

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"Students are looking for an alternative, for options, for a choice," Kochan added. "There are students who really feel boxed in. And the University should offer alternatives to those who want them."

Kochan emphasized that new options should not diminish the current choices that exist, with which he said many students are very happy.

During his term, Kochan said he also would continue to seek out student opinions without making it his main focus.

Kochan criticized the University's Office of Career Services and "a campus culture" he sees as pushing students into corporate careers.

He repeatedly mentioned he will champion "workers' rights" and campaign to provide University workers a "fair shake."

"It's been a long time since the USG has taken a stand on important issues, not just day-to-day concerns of students," he said. "We need to make sure students agree with how the University does business every day."

Kochan also pledged to push for increased funding for club sports and student groups, and more theater space.

He noted his respect for Tukey, who serves as campus and community affairs chair. "He's always been one of the most excited and motivated [USG] members," Kochan said, citing Tukey's work to improve race relations on campus.

For his part, Tukey congratulated Kochan. "I know that Joe Kochan is going to be a phenomenal USG president and I'm really excited to see all the things he'll do next year," Tukey said, adding, "I'll have more time for molecular biology."

Anderson said she was excited to assume the vice president's post and "really grateful to the Princeton community and students who voted."

New to the USG, she declined to discuss her goals for the University or student government, only mentioning that she wants the campus to examine the "status of women inside and outside the classroom."

"I feel like my accomplishments will speak for themselves, and I don't want to pinpoint my goals so soon," Anderson said.

Strickland also said she is looking forward to taking office. "This is going to be a pretty different USG, but a good one," she said.

As academics chair, she said her main goal is to help provide assistance for students in academic trouble. "I myself got in academic trouble and I wanted to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else the same way it happened to me," Strickland said.

USG social chair-elect Owens said he is planning to devote his energies to organizing the concerts that students want. He said his first priority will be to set up a concert committee including students from outside the USG.

Owens said he has many ideas for possible spring concert headliners. "I've gotten tons of suggestions, everything from Weezer to the WWF," Owens said.

He added that he wants to put together an outdoor concert, either on Poe Field or in Princeton University Stadium.

'Prince' Senior Writer Ben Grossman contributed to this report.