Releasing their ballots into boxes wrapped with white paper, students representing 28 countries cast their votes Friday night for the officers of two boards that act as bridges between them and the rest of the University.

Candidates running for the nine open positions of the International Student Association and the International Cultural Center board gave informal speeches in front of about 50 international students. Many of them raised concerns about expensive and inefficient health care offered to international students and the importance of reaching across cultural barriers.

“It’s always interesting to see students from all over the world engaging in the democratic process,” said University professor Richard Vlosky as students approached the ballot table where he was sitting.

The ISA acts as a link among foreign students, other University groups and administrators. The ICC hosts international-themed events and is a welcome center for international students when they come to the United States.

Following a United Nations approach for the election, each country was allowed one vote for each position, which required students from each country to come to a consensus on candidates. India received four votes and China three — the two countries that contribute the largest international population to the University.

The small room filled with murmurs of deliberations before students lined up to slide their ballots in the box.

The box labeled “president” remained empty. There was no decision to make.

Making only an acceptance speech, new President and Sri Lankan-native Indrajith Senevirathne did not have to sway the small gathering. He ran unopposed for the top position that dually leads the ISA and the ICC board.

Senevirathne did make promises, but most of them aimed at cushioning the financial burdens of foreign students.

At the top of his agenda for the next year, Senevirathne said he wanted to continue his predecessor’s push to give international students more than one health care option — a mandatory service that he says many students have complained about and find difficult to afford.

Each semester, foreign students must pay $340 per semester for health care and $680 if they plan to add a spouse or another dependent to the plan.

“I know so many students that are constantly worrying about expensive health care, that is not that good,” Senevirathne said. “Right now they are only given one option when they get here.”

The expense is personal for Senevirathne, who said the cost of health care for his wife is difficult to afford, but necessary. He hopes to find a way to give students more options.

Senevirathne also wants to make students more aware of their financial opportunities when they get here.

“They just don’t know there are assistantships and scholarships out there for them that will make it easier for them to bear the expense,”

Senevirathne said.

Though the showing of voters did not near the number of international students that attend the University — only one-quarter of the countries that are home to the University’s international students were represented at the election — many commented that they were impressed by the turnout of a few more than 50 students.

This semester, the University has 1,708 international students from 118 countries.

“You cannot complain or talk about rights when you don’t come out to vote for the people representing you,” said Dinorah Balthazar, a mass

communication senior who won one of the vice presidential positions for the International Cultural Center board.