By Kate Augusto

Student Government Association (SGA) presidential nominee Dan Kamyck will be allowed to run in the this year’s presidential elections, following a 33 to 9 vote Monday night that lifted a block placed on his candidacy last week.

The vote and preceding discussion were initiated on SGA protocol, after senator Lucas Rose blocked Kamyck’s nomination last week because he questioned Kamyck’s qualifications to run SGA. Kamyck was nominated by a different senator after former candidate Marines Piney withdrew from the race and nominations were reopened.

The SGA discussion about the block began with an address by former SGA executive vice president Adriana Campos, who implored senators to protect “the integrity of the election process and this fine organization.” Campos, who graduated last year, was heavily involved in drafting the direct election legislation when it began in 2006.

“The blocking clause was intended to be used only as a last resort to prevent candidates who would harm the election process itself,” Campos read from a letter she had co-written. “Senator Kamyck is not such a nominee, and the student body deserves to make the ultimate decision on his qualifications for the position.”

The debate that ensued highlighted two SGA factions: those who agreed with Campos and those who agreed with Rose.

Senator Matthew Soleyn came to Kamyck’s defense and said upholding such a block may result in the student body permanently losing faith in SGA.

“The student body wants a true choice. Forty-nine senators should not be restricting 15,000 students,” Soleyn said. “Why does [Rose] think it’s appropriate for us here to steal a choice away from the student body?”

A presidential debate hosted by the Resident Student Association preceded the meeting of the Joint Senate. There, the long-standing SGA presidential candidate, Rob Ranley, applauded Kamyck’s candidacy and said he welcomed the challenge of running against another senator.

Despite that statement, several of Ranley’s supporters, including SGA Vice President for Student Services Chris Bourne, spoke adamantly in favor of blocking Kamyck’s nomination.

“This organization was founded to be a liaison between students and administration,” Bourne said. “We have to make sure that the one sole representative is able to do that and ensure that they are able to put forth what the student body wants, and while I have the most respect for our alumni