Finalists for YAT chosen by seniors

A field of 30 narrowed to three yesterday with the Alumni Association's announcement of the finalists in the race for young alumni trustee.

Following an election marred by confusion among the candidates regarding the rules on campaigning, seniors Alex Lenahan, Caitlin Sullivan and Jim Williamson received the greatest number of votes from among their peers.

The elections have been dominated by student government leaders in recent years. All three of this year's finalists held positions either in the USG or their class government, as did all the finalists in 2005, while the 2004 and 2006 elections saw two student government leaders in the final three. Three of the four current young alumni trustees served in the USG.

Though the number of candidates rose from 21 last year to 30 this year, University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said that about 600 seniors voted in the primary election, which is "about the same as we've seen in the past five years." She added that no "unusual voting patterns" had been observed during the process.

The three finalists will meet with the Alumni Association to clarify the rules on candidates' emails about the election, Cliatt said. The rules ban issue-based and mass campaigning, a policy that has generated vigorous debate on campus and has been protested by candidates in past years.

"We've generally seen the finalists expressing an interest in what the guidelines are closer to the time of the general election," Cliatt added. "They know that before the general elections they are going to have that conversation, so they know not to proceed until those discussions are held."

Online voting in the general election will run from April 25 until May 16 and will be open to members from the Classes of 2005 to 2008. The winner will be announced on June 2 following the P-Rade. Young alumni trustees play the same role on the University Board of Trustees as other members and serve four-year terms.

Former USG president Lenahan said he is "honored that people thought I would do a good job ... I'm excited to be in the next round of the elections."

Sullivan, who served as USG academics chair during the Lenahan administration, said she decided to run to give back to the University.

"I love Princeton," she said, "and in thinking about graduation and leaving this place I tried to think of the best way to stay connected to the school and serve its mission and its students in a meaningful way."

Class of 2007 president for the last three years, Williamson said he "would hope [voters] would look for people who have spent the last couple of years getting things done, really accomplishing things, to the betterment of the lives of students at Princeton."