Student Government Association elects new senators at Monday meeting
Seven open seats in the Student Government Association Senate were filled after Monday’s interim senator elections.
Nominees were allowed to give a minute-long speech detailing why they felt capable for the job they sought. The general committee was then able to ask three questions to the candidates before voting.
SGA President Chuck Mahone said senators nominated would serve for the rest of the semester but have to run again for the position in the fall.
“We will accept nominations in the room, of those who will want to run to become a senator,” Mahone said. “Then if they are nominated – and someone seconds the nomination – then they will get the opportunity to stand up in front of the body, tell them a little about themselves and what they plan to do for the body, and why they should be able to represent the students here at CMU.”
Members elected included Courtney Banks, Andrew Zyrowski, Jesse Culp, Ian Elliot, Shane Wery, Juliann Pardon and Taylor Ackerman.
Banks, a first year member of SGA, said that by running for a position in the Senate she felt she would be able to better serve CMU.
“As a senator for sustainability, I plan on creating more activities for us to have a better understanding about what sustainability truly is,” she said. “(I want) to include sustainability better on our campus.”
In her speech delivered to members of the general committee, Banks detailed different sustainability projects that she would be interested in pursuing during her time as senator.
“One of the things I really want to work on is environmental art,” Banks said. “In (the sustainability committee) we talked about having moss art and selling that. (By selling) that art we could make money and provide it back to our (sustainability) accounts and create more projects.”
Individuals elected to the senate serve as a representative of the student body. Students with complaints or ideas, pertaining to how CMU can be made a better campus, can be brought to an SGA senator’s attention. Ideas for legislation can be discussed within the Senate, Mahone said.
Vice President of SGA Mariah Urueta praised the elected senators. She said she "couldn’t wait to see the work that they do” for CMU in the future.
“I’m really excited for them,” Urueta said. “I was elected a senator my freshman year and for me personally it was a great way for me to get my hands in the dirt with different ways to get involved in projects that really impact students.”
