Student Sen. Joshua Dolby spend countless hours at the University office at 11 Baxter Blvd. He tidied the office, installed the new computer, was the coordinator for Student Legal Services, and served on several committees. He pressed flesh down at the Woodbury Campus Center. He shook hands and said hello and chatted up administrators.
Dolby knew how to work a room, and it was obvious that he was a gunning for a position on the executive board of the 32nd Student Senate. Many believed that he would be the next chair of the of the Student Senate.
Friday, however, saw resident Sen. Jeremy Collette elected as the chair of the 32nd Student Senate, surrounded by an executive board that did not include Dolby.
“I just figured Josh Dolby would be next year’s chair,” Collette said. “Josh was the only person who talked about being chair. The only one who expressed desire. There was really no competition foreseen.”
Dolby said he was not surprised that another candidate emerged during the election process at the meeting Friday, and said he experienced some relief that someone else was elected, despite his grassroots campaigning all semester.
“After the [Student Involvement Recognition Night] awards ceremony, I really had some serious doubts. I had a weird feeling that I don’t know if I want to do this at all,” Dolby said.
Sen. Ezekiel Kimball was also nominated for chair, leaving him “shocked, honored, and slightly worried.”
All three candidates, however, were pleased with the outcome of the election.
“I think Jeremy will do a wonderful job,” said Kimball, who was elected as vice chair. “The probability was very high going in that [Dolby] would be chair, but on the floor of any body anything can happen, and it did.”