The student union released candidate bios for the special round of elections, according to an email sent by Student Union Secretary Carol Kornworcel ’26. The campaign period ends on March 10 when ballots are released to the student body.
The Special elections are to fill five open positions Massell Quad Senator, Charles River Quad Senator, Foster Mods Quad Senator, Class of 2023 Senator and Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program (MKTYP) Senator. The Student Union amended its qualifications for candidates running for certain positions to expand the applicant pool. For the Foster Mods Quad Senator, Class of 2023 Senator and MKTYP Senator positions, any member of the Brandeis undergraduate student body may run for the position. Typically for senator positions, a candidate must be in the group they are representing. Meaning to run for a quad senator position you must be a resident in that quad. However, this rule has been lifted for these positions.
Massell Quad Senator
There are two candidates running for the Massell Quad Senator position, with one seat available. Adira Muskrat ’26 and Vivienne Scott ’26 are running against one another.
Muskrat wrote in her candidate biography that she hopes to use her passion for social justice and equality to bring change to Brandeis. She gained experience for this role through an internship in Joshua Lafazan’s campaign—who ran for the House of Representatives. Muskrat ran in the special elections last semester as well for the Senator at Large position, according to a previous Brandeis Hoot article.
Scott is also running for the position and has had leadership experience from her high school clubs. Scott was president of her high school’s chapter of Model Union Nations and was a member of her high school’s student government. “I am passionate about making the campus a better and more inclusive place for all, making accessibility and sustainability my top priorities,” wrote Scott.
Charles River Quad Senator
There is one seat open for the Charles River Quad Senator position. Jeffrey Kuang ’25 is running unopposed for the position.
If elected to the position Kuang wrote in his candidate biography that he would make transportation his number one priority, “As a senator, I plan to advocate for more transparency from Escort Safety Services regarding BranVan updates and scheduling,” wrote Kuang. Kuang hopes to bring other changes by creating a community in the resident quad and is hopeful to bring upgrades to the “outdated” common space.
Foster Mods Quad Senator
David Cahn ’26 and Joseph Heaney ’26 are both running for the Foster Mods Quad Senator position which has one seat available.
Cahn wrote in his candidate biography that if elected to the position his main priority would be to focus on accessibility on campus. Cahn discussed in his biography his disability and how he wants “to be a voice for students with disabilities.” Cahn wrote, “Your concerns are my priorities. I would be honored to serve the Brandeis community.”
Heaney is also running for the Foster Mods Quad Senator position. Heaney wrote in his candidate biography, “I want to bring positive change to the school! Vote for me.”
Class of 2023 Senator
There are three students running for the class of 2023 senator position; Celia Davis ’23, Ivy Tran ’26 and Jack Granahan ’26.
Davis included in her candidate bio a link to a form for students to fill out. In the form students can contribute their thoughts on things they want to see changed. “[Davis] will work to make the student union a place where we don’t just plan events, but make real and lasting changes that you want to see,” wrote Davis in her bio.
Tran noted her experience that has readied her for the position if elected. In high school, Tran was president of her student council. “I am committed to contributing to the Brandeis University community by making it more inclusive and equal, both at the individual person-to-person level and community-wide,” wrote Tran. To bring change to campus, Tran wrote that she believes a collaborative approach is most effective between students, faculty and staff.
Granahan is the final candidate running for this position. Granahan is running on a platform “of increasing transparency and student communication with student life,” according to his bio. In particular, Granahan wants to bring transparency with the Department of Community Living (DCL) and Brandeis Hospitality. Granahan also cited previous leadership experience both in high school and in college as a member of his school newspaper and as a founder of the Brandeis Pickleball club.
MKTYP Senator
Vivian Hamui ’26 is running unopposed for the MKTYP Senator position. While Hamui is not in the MKTY program, she does plan to meet with representatives of the program regularly, according to her candidate bio. Hamui is running on a platform of accessibility. “Brandeis is based upon inclusivity, yet on multiple high floors, there are wheelchair-accessible bathroom stalls, with no way of getting to them since there’s no elevator,” reads her bio.
