The University of Houston-Victoria Student Senate has nearly all positions filled for 2008-2009 after being forced to extend the filing deadline last month when only two candidates stepped forward.

Since the original April 14 deadline, 12 more candidates filed to run for the election held Tuesday and Wednesday. The large number of candidates caused run-off elections for vice president and senator at large, which had four candidates running for three seats.

Juan Diego Martinez is the new vice president, and the three senators at large are Ashley Falco, Whitney Damborsky and Jerico Erik Garino.

�There are a lot of great people who have gotten involved,� said Delores White, 2007-2008 Student Senate president. �It�s going to be phenomenal.�

No candidates filed for the positions of graduate senator for the School of Education & Human Development, senator at large for the University of Houston System-Cinco Ranch and senator at large for the University of Houston System-Sugar Land.

The new senators will be inducted and take their oath of office on May 30 and will serve through the 2008-2009 school year.

The other new officers are:

• Kristen Lindley, president
• Nicole Marie Garcia, secretary
• Melissa Romanowski, treasurer
• Crystal Mapp, undergraduate senator of the School of Arts & Sciences
• Shelia C. Jaure, graduate senator of the School of Arts & Sciences
• Valerie Kemp, undergraduate senator of the School of Business Administration
• Shauna Sullivan, graduate senator of the School of Business Administration
• Amber Scott, undergraduate senator for the School of Education & Human Development

�I am very excited about working with this many senators,� said Lindley, who is a pitcher for the UHV Jaguars softball team and a junior accounting major. �I think we have a diverse group of people and that we�re going to be able to do some great things.�