Faculty elections results released Tuesday show most incumbents were able to maintain their seats on university committees, despite a number of tight races.

In the race for Faculty Senate seats, Reed Benedict, sociology/anthropology; Ann Brownson, Booth Library; David Carpenter, English; Assegedetch Haile Miriam, psychology; Onaiwu Ogbomo, African American studies; Christopher Smith, music; Rebecca Throneburg, communication disorders and sciences; Mori Toosi, technology; Angela Vietto, English; Jean Wolski, theatre arts all captured open spots.

Benedict, the senate’s current vice chair, was the only incumbent to seek reelection. Fellow senate members John Best, psychology; James Tidwell, journalism; Bailey Young, history and current chair Bud Fischer, biological sciences, will finish their terms without seeking reelection.

Benedict said he wants to keep senate moving toward great things and be there when the new president takes over.

“Having served on Faculty Senate for the past three years, I think it’s really important to continue moving the senate in a positive direction,” he said Tuesday.

However, at Tuesday’s senate meeting, the vice chair assured members he has no intention to supplant Fischer as chair.

“I have personally made a commitment to two research projects,” Benedict said.

Carpenter, who filled in as a spring sabbatical replacement for French Fraker, also earned a seat. Ogbomo, Toosi and Wolski won the other three spaces.

Tidwell, who Fischer replaces as chair will cross over to the Council on Academic Affairs. The journalism professor won a seat along with current CAA Chair Andrew Methven, biological sciences, and Pat Fewell, secondary education.

After serving on the senate for seven years, Tidwell made the switch to CAA to get involved in curriculum decisions.

“Senate gets involved in everything but curriculum issues,” he said.

Now is a crucial time to get involved in CAA, Tidwell added, because budget constraints could have negative impacts on curriculum and class size.

Shelley French, foreign languages; Linda Ghent, economics; Linda Simpson, family and consumer sciences; Joe Williams, psychology; Nora Pat Small, history and incumbent Janet Cosbey, sociology/anthropology also sought places on the council.

Shane Miller, speech communications, won a tight race against Mark Voss-Hubbard, history, for the College of Arts and Humanities position of the Council on Graduate Studies. Linda Morford, educational administration, and Mary Ellen Varble, early childhood, elementary and middle level education, will represent the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Tim Mason, economics, and Britto Nathan, biological sciences, tied for the College of Sciences seat on the council. Benedict, the senate elections coordinator, will set up a coin toss to decide the race.

In the Council on Teacher Education races, Kathy Bower, geology/geography, snuck by Joyce Bishop, mathematics, for the College of Sciences spot. Barbara O’Donnell, early childhood, elementary and middle level education, won on write-in votes to represent the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Minh Dao, economics, beat out Lisa New-Freeland, sociology/anthropology, and Henry Owen, biological sciences, for the College of Sciences seat on the Admissions Appeal Review Committee.

Keith Wilson, psychology, will represent the College of Sciences on the Enrollment Management Advisory Committee. Wilson ran against Dell Champlin, economics, and Steven Roper, political science. Scott AGM Crawford, physical education, will represent the College of Education and Professional Studies. Kathleen Shank, special education, and Dawn VanGunten, secondary education and foundations, also ran.

Roper won on write-in votes to represent the College of Sciences on the Academic Program Elimination Review Committee.

Judy Barbour, early childhood, elementary and middle level education, will represent the College of Education and Professional Studies on the Sanctions and Termination Hearing Committee.