Olivia Chaput chosen as KSU interim president

The King’s Student Union’s council has elected Olivia Chaput as interim president.

Chaput was chosen by the council at a closed-door emergency meeting Sunday morning and will serve until the KSU’s fall by-elections.  

She previously served as the KSU’s Financial Vice President. Her work will be divided among the union’s two executive members until the fall by-elections, which currently have no scheduled date. Until then, the KSU will have three empty executive positions. 

Only KSU councillors could vote for the interim president, and the new president had to be a sitting councillor. 

Former KSU President Gale VanAmburg stepped down Sept. 13, citing declining health over recent months. 

Related: KSU president resigns

“It would be a disservice to students for me to continue in this role while I am unfit to serve them,”  said VanAmburg in a Sept. 15 statement posted by the KSU on Instagram. “Despite my love for the role and the KSU, I have to take a step back in order to recover.”

VanAmburg took office last March, and their term was set to last until March 2027.

Iman Mannathukkaren, the KSU’s external vice president, says the decision “wasn’t entirely out of the blue,” and VanAmburg had taken time off over the summer. 

“It’s quite a sad loss because they were an excellent president … but obviously their health takes first priority.”

More to come.