Established protocol for the spring Augustana Student Association (ASA) president and vice president elections includes a primary election held seven days prior to the general election. However, with junior Jake Bury and sophomore Thad Titze as the only ticket running, a primary election was unnecessary this year.

The last time there was an uncontested election for ASA president and vice president was in 1996, and there have only been two uncontested ASA presidential elections in the past 25 years.

"The fact that we are not seeing a hotly contested race for the student body president and vice president is a bit disappointing, but it is certainly not cause for suggesting that there is apathy and lack of interest in serving in leadership capacities on campus," said Jim Bies, ASA advisor and dean of students.

Bies believes the increase in active student organizations, volunteer service involvement and students traveling abroad as a potential reason behind the uncontested election.

"Each of these [programs] requires a substantial commitment and I believe students are more carefully assessing what they can reasonably invest their time and energies on," Bies said. "Consequently, those who might have sought election in years past now need to weigh all of their opportunities and options, many of which have not always been available to so many students."

The past few ASA leaders (president, vice president, treasurer, senators) have made strides such as amending their constitution, changing the number of senators and revising class representative and geographical constituencies to ensure that the student government does not become complacent.

"ASA leaders invest a lot of their time asking themselves questions about how they can stay relevant as a voice for students," Bies said.

The offices of treasurer and senior senators are also uncontested in this year's ASA spring election.

The ASA inauguration of officers and senators will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 6 in the Chapel.