The former president of a large sorority will now preside over the senior class.
Clara Pugsley, who recently finished her term as president of Kappa Kappa Gamma, will replace AnnMarie Allen as senior class president.
The senior class president is responsible for planning graduation and related events, selecting a class gift, overseeing the Freshmen Council and working with the Student Alumni Association. As senior class president, Allen also planned Homecoming week in conjunction with the Alumni Association.
Allen had to step down from her office Friday when she filed to run for president of the Associated Students of the University of Utah.
“We’re sad to lose AnnMarie,” said Ben Lowe, ASUU president. “If anyone can step in and keep it running, it’s Clara.”
As president, Lowe is responsible for filling all vacancies within the Executive Cabinet of ASUU. Allen suggested Pugsley’s name to Lowe as a possible replacement.
“Clara is a very accomplished, very talented individual, who I thought would do a great job at finishing out the year as senior class president,” Allen said, explaining why she recommended Pugsley.
Lowe and Mike Nelson, ASUU vice president, considered not replacing Allen, but according to Nelson, that was not possible.
“We needed to [replace Allen],” Nelson said. “Graduation and commencement are huge. We need somebody to step in and tackle those tasks.”
Pugsley has had experience with ASUU and the senior class council before. This year, Pugsley helped plan Homecoming.
Although Pugsley has been involved with ASUU in the past, she was “surprised” when Lowe and Nelson approached her to serve as senior class president.
“It wasn’t something I had even considered until they talked to me about it,” Pugsley said. “They were kind of at a point that they needed someone who could see that everything gets done and follow through.”
Allen and Pugsley will meet this week to discuss the specific duties of senior class president, and how Allen has been fulfilling those responsibilities this year.
“At this point, I’m just waiting to find more information,” Pugsley said. “I think that I have experience in delegation, I know how to check up on people, I know how to interact with a diverse group of people, helping me learn how to listen to different points of view.”