Student Senate

New executive board appointed during the last meeting of the academic year

Maddie Kasper

More stories from Maddie Kasper

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The last Student Senate meeting of the academic year commenced at 6:02 p.m. on Monday.

During the open forum, Senator Brad Heap spoke about the party registry system he has been working on with the Eau Claire Police Department to encourage safer parties with less noise citations and underage drinking citations.

Senator Thomas Miller reintroduced bill 65-B-1 to revise the 66th session bylaws. The bill passed 17-0-2.

“I’m glad it finally got done,” Miller said. “We can now operate with a functioning document.” 

Vice President Nick Johnson withdrew bill 66-B-2 to establish support and membership of the University of Wisconsin System Student Governance Association (UWSSGA). 

The bill was withdrawn because the UW-System wants to make amendments to the UWSSGA constitution, according to Nick Johnson.

The senate began the process of appointing a new executive board. Nominees give a five minute presentation, answer questions for five minutes and then the senate goes into a closed session to deliberation whether to appoint the nominees.

Miller, a first-year political science student, was appointed senate parliamentarian. Miller was a senator during the 65th session and was involved in the bylaws amendment process.

Third-year ecology environmental biology student Anakah Denison was appointed senate personnel director. Denison was a senator during the 65th session.

Sahana Suresh, a third-year human resources management and information systems student, was nominated to be the academic affairs commissioned director, but was not appointed. Suresh held a senator seat during the 65th session and will continue as a senator during the 66th session.

“I feel bad for the candidate who did not pass the senate,” Nick Johnson said. “We were very excited about that candidate, but it’s always a possibility that that happens.”

Second-year biology and pre-professional health student Ivan San was appointed communications commission director. San was a senator during the 65th session.

Ben Johnson, a second-year finance student, was appointed finance commission director. Ben Johnson was involved in the finance commission during the 65th session.

First-year biochemistry and molecular biology student Maddie Blong was appointed equity in student matters commission senate director. Blong is a member of the Inter-Tribal Student Council and works for Multicultural Student Services on campus.

During the deliberation process, the senate meeting halted because of a tornado warning and temporarily relocated until the weather improved.

The meeting continued with second-year political science and Spanish student Hannah Kelly appointed intergovernmental affairs commission director. Kelly was a senator and the intergovernmental affairs intern during the 65th session.

Second-year environmental public health student Sydney McGuine was appointed student office of sustainability commission senate director. McGuine was a senator and member of the SOS commission during the 65th session.

First-year healthcare administration and psychology student Heap was appointed student organizations commission director. Heap was a senator and member of the student organizations commission during the 65th session.

Second-year public relations and communications student Brett Farmer was reappointed university activities commission director. Farmer was the public relations chair of the commission during the 64th session and director during the 65th session.

Executive board members resigned from their senator seats but will retain voting privileges.

President Rossellin Gaitan said the senate will fill the last two executive board appointments, in the academic affairs commission and information technology commission, in an emergency meeting next week.

“Nearly everyone that we had put up to be considered passed through, which is phenomenal,” Gaitan said. “I’m excited we have a great team that has been chosen by not only us, but our committee as well.”

The meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m. and the senate will reconvene for an emergency meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16.

 

Kasper can be reached at [email protected]