Just confirmed with the Senate Secretariat that Mr. Geoff Costeloe, of Terry fame, was elected to the position of Vice-Chair of the Vancouver Senate this Wednesday.

This is the first time a student has been elected to the position since its creation in 1916. No one formally asked for the tally, but I’m told it was “close”.

The role of the Vice-Chair is to be speaker of the Vancouver Senate in the absence of the Chair, Prof. Stephen Toope.

The last election ^[1] of the Vice-Chair, student senator Mr. Blake Frederick lost to incumbent Vice-Chair Dr. Rhodri Windsor-Liscombe in a close tally of 36:23.

This would mean in the occasional absence of the President, a student reigns over the most powerful academic body at UBC Vancouver. The vote indicates a strong show of support and trust in the student body by the faculty, alumni and administration, and a progressive vision for the current Senate.