Squirrel Wins Seat In UC Berkeley Student Senate
A squirrel named Furry Boi ran for one of the 20 seats in UC Berkeley’s student Senate and actually won. Many weren’t too happy with the election outcome.
By Admin on April 23, 2018
A candidate in a squirrel costume named Furry Boi ran for UC Berkeley’s student Senate and won.
Of course, the student behind the squirrel, Stephen Boyle, 19, initially ran as a joke. Furry Boi’s campaign promised “safe spaces for squirrels, better access to acorns and support groups for those experiencing habitat loss.”
Though there were many students that supported Furry Boi’s Facebook page during his campaign, many were unhappy with the ultimate election outcome. The student newspaper, the Daily Californian, published an article that said:
“It’s a shocking display of privilege to vote for a squirrel over candidates who have actual plans to help students who need it. Instead of electing qualified students who had real, tangible ideas … many of you (at least 538 strong) thought it might be a funny joke to have a man dressed up in a squirrel costume with no real platforms represent you at the administrative table.”
Stephen’s joke turned into reality when he received massive support from students on social media for his campaign, reports the LA Times. He made appearances on campus wearing a squirrel suit and realized that he had actual potential to win.
Related: Student Rescues Squirrel With CPR Learned From ‘The Office’ [VIDEO]
Now that Stephen won his place in student Senate, he has no plans to resign. He’s getting serious about what he can do with his new platform. He hopes to bring back late-night dining so students can bond over food. He also wants to help reduce food waste and help students with disabilities. As he suffers from bipolar disorder himself, it’s an issue that’s important to him.
Stephen, who’s originally from Stockton and an electrical engineering and computer science major, said:
“People are my passion. I want people to love each other. I have a lot of ideas to make big changes.”
