Marisa Page will be the new president of the University of New Mexico’s Graduate and Professional Student Association, defeating incumbent Travis Broadhurst in the election held from March 23-27, according to unofficial results posted after the ballots closed.
Page, a GPSA council member and Native American Studies doctorate student, defeated Broadhurst 135 votes to 120, amounting to a 5% margin of victory.
“I see this role as rooted in the duty to serve the interests of all UNM students, not just those who voted, but all graduate students across UNM and their pursuit of knowledge,” Page wrote in an email to the Daily Lobo after the election. “I will work diligently to do my best for all of us and to act with honest stewardship of the responsibilities of the graduate community.”
Page ran on a campaign that included support for international students, transparency of fees, greater engagement with the University community and an invitation for the next UNM president to get involved with classes for better understanding of the school’s culture and heritage.
Also on the ballot were nine constitutional amendments, all of which passed with at least 70% of students who voted in favor of the changes. Among the changes were adjustments to wages for executive roles, a transition for some committees to sole director roles and tweaks to the process for impeachment and replacement of a president.
“I want to express my gratitude for the support of the changes to the constitution,” Page wrote. “As a member of the legislative steering committee, it was essential to ensure those changes were made, since it had been many years since any updates, and we needed to address current issues like fair pay for our directors and committee chairs.
Elliott Wood is the news editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @DailyLobo
