Sean McMinn
smcminn@mustangdaily.net
Just as he hoped they would, students “called on Bini” this week and elected agribusiness junior Jason Colombini as the next Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) president.
A mob of students wearing shirts with his signature slogan — “Call on Bini” — collapsed on Colombini as ASI Recruitment and Development Committee Chair Kate Calkins announced the results Thursday afternoon. Colombini nearly collapsed himself, holding on to his campaign team to keep himself steady.
Approximately 40 percent of students voted in the election, which current ASI president and sociology senior Katie Morrow said marks a new record for Cal Poly. Colombini will be the first male since 2008 to win the presidency.
“(I am) speechless, just all over the place,” he said minutes after learning of his victory. “This is all surreal. I’m shaking. I can’t even take it all in right now … I can’t even talk, honestly.”
During the campaign, Colombini used his platform to emphasize servant leadership. He said he would make it his top goal to represent students, and would forego some of the traditional perks of being ASI president to do so.
He promised to not use his reserved parking space near the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center. He also said he would give students the money he receives from scholarships because ASI pays for the president’s tuition.
“I prepped myself either way, I knew whatever happened, next year’s going to be a good year,” he said. “So I was just ready for it.”
Colombini will begin as president in June, taking office as Morrow graduates. The two spoke briefly after they learned Colombini — the only non-College of Liberal Arts student running for president — won the race.
Morrow said she’s known Colombini since his freshman year when he was president of the Sierra Madre Hall Council.
“I’m excited to hand it over to him, but it’s sad,” Morrow said. “You know handing it over to anyone would be sad, but I’m really happy for him and I’m excited to start working with him.”
During Calkins’ announcement in the University Union Plaza, she said the race required an instant run-off. The process takes effect if no single candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote.
Final voting numbers were not available Thursday afternoon because of a technical malfunction with Cal Poly’s email provider, Morrow said.