The Associated Students, Inc. board of directors started the fall semester without all of its directors present.

After the disqualification of the director-designates of natural science and mathematics and of education, ASI is looking to fill those two positions this semester.

The two candidates, Manny Garcha, 21, biology major, and Mary Cruz Troncoso, senior child development major, ran uncontested for the director positions and were disqualified after failing to submit a financial expenditure report, a form to indicate how much was spent on the election campaign.

Garcha said he was shocked when he received the e-mail notice of his disqualification over the summer.

“I had no idea I was supposed to hand one in,” Garcha said. “It completely slipped out of my mind because I didn’t have any campaign expenses because I wasn’t running against anyone.”

After receiving the notice, Garcha and Troncoso, who ran for director of education, filed a petition to the election complaint committee in order to be considered for reinstatement of the positions.

Although the election complaint committee ruled in Garcha and Troncoso’s favor, the appeals committee overruled the verdict.

Patricia Worley, ASI executive director, said the situation is sad, but the rules and policies were clear in the election code, which was handed to every candidate.

“The consequence for failing to meet the requirement was very clear,” Worley said. “We have policies and procedures that are spelled out in our election code and we are obligated to follow our election code and that’s what happened.”

The election code states under Article IV, “Failure to complete any filing requirement or eligibility requirement shall result in disqualification.”

Garcha, after realizing that he needed the financial expenditure report, submitted the form a day late but was still disqualified.

Because of the disqualifications, ASI President Roberto Torres said not all departments are well represented in ASI.

“It’s unfortunate to have these vacancies,” Torres said. “As executives, we bring everyone’s voice to the table and it is beneficial to have people on for all the positions.”

Torres is in charge of appointing the new directors; he said it is important that the positions are filled as soon as possible.

ASI is still taking applications until there are at least two candidates for each position.

The deadline is rolling, Torres said, but he would like to be done by mid-September.

What concerns Troncoso and Garcha the most is that no one is representing the departments that they were going to represent.

“For the college, being that it’s child development, we are a very small section compared to others like Arts and Letters,” Troncoso said. “To have our little, little section not represented makes me very upset.”

Garcha said he ran for the director’s position because he wanted to serve the campus community.

“Right now there’s no one representing the college of natural science and mathematics,” Garcha said. “I think it’s important to have someone there. That was my whole plan, but now someone should step up to the plate if I’m not allowed to.”

Garcha and Troncoso say they would like to have the election code revised and have more emphasis on the penalties of not submitting all the paperwork.

“For future elections, they should really mention how severe the consequences for not turning in applications regardless of having expenditures and it would be nice if they are wiling to think it through and revise the rules a bit,” Garcha said.

The rules were clear, Troncoso said, but there should be more reminders before the deadline.

“I would definitely suggest a revision,” she said. “And an e-mail reminder or something so that they know exactly when they need to submit everything.”

While the two former candidates say they want a revision done on the election code to prevent future candidates from meeting the same fate, Worley said the rule was clear and carefully thought over.

“When the version of the election code contained that specific language, there was a thoughtful discussion around this particular language in our election code,” Worley said. “There was a very clear determination and belief that if candidates can take the time and put in the effort to read and fully understand and hold themselves accountable to this regulating document, then that is an aspect of them showing evidence of their ability to hold responsibility of their office that they are seeking.”

Garcha said he is disappointed that he was disqualified, but no one party should be blamed for this.

“No, I don’t think it was a matter of faults,” he said. “It was just a matter of honest mistakes.”

While the disqualified candidates are unable to serve in the director positions, they are allowed to work for ASI; Troncoso works at the Children’s Center.

“I do believe it was harsh, but it’s a situation I will never forget,” Troncoso said. “I am taking it as a learning experience and hope to work with ASI as a volunteer or just an employee.”

Miyu Kataoka can be reached at [email protected].