The inaugural 2015 Student Senate meeting Wednesday night saw the swearing in of six new Student Government officers along with elections to fill four vacant positions.
Emma Kurt, newly elected vice president of the Student Government Association and sophomore biology major, silenced the chatter in Harvey Hall with her first swing of the gavel.
Kurt, along with the rest of the new SGA officers, took an oath shortly after the meeting was called to order. Others sworn in were president Holly Johnson, junior business administration major; secretary Suzanne Fletcher, junior public relations major; and treasurer Benton Hurt, sophomore biology major. Chaplain Anderson Underwood, sophomore intercultural studies major, read a passage from 1 Timothy 2.
The passage was a means for encouraging the senators to continue to “do good this year.” Underwood noted that the Senate had accomplished good things, referencing last semester’s meeting in which the bill to ban Yik Yak was passed, and hopes to do the same moving forward into this school year.
While the transition to vice president was harder than she expected, Kurt said she has enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the new officers.
“It’s been great to get to know more people,” she said.
The remainder of the meeting was an informational speech about Union’s EDGE program starting this fall, a budget update and a review of parliamentary procedure, something former vice president Lacie Fink, junior accounting major, hopes to see focused on more with this new staff.
Fink also believes the previous group’s effort to put Senate activities on Twitter will help the new officers communicate more efficiently to its student body.
Building off of previous governments, Kurt’s goal this semester is to make SGA more inclusive by inviting more clubs, especially smaller clubs, to Senate meetings.
“I want SGA to honor the fact that we are to love everyone and include everyone,” the new vice president said.
To conclude the semester’s first gathering, nominations and votes were placed for the clerk, President Pro Tempore, Chaplain and Sergeant of Arms positions.
The next senate meeting will be held Feb. 25.
