“I am truly grateful, and I hope in the next year we can help make their (the students who elected them) lives much better because they've given us the platform to do so,” Naaz said.

Sophia Laurain was elected as the Student Government Association’s next treasurer, and Allison Vander Silk as chief justice. Election results were posted on the Office of Student Activities and Involvement and SGA’s Instagram accounts prior to the general board meeting.

Naaz and Malik said they are grateful for the platform given to them by the students and the support they received from Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) while campaigning.

Submissions for the association’s L.E.G.A.C.Y. awards were extended this week. The awards celebrate leadership, empowerment and growth in active campus years, Student Body Vice President Kathryn House said. They will be awarded to students and RSOs who have contributed meaningfully to the community on campus.

The six awards for students are:

Leadership in Action
Excellence and Inclusion
Groundbreaking Growth
Active Hustle
Changemaker
Your Legacy

RSO's six awards are:

Limitless Leadership
Empowerment
Growth and Advancement
Active Engagement
Community Catalyst
Year of Impact

Students, faculty and staff can nominate students and RSOs. House said recipients will be selected based on a review process that considers SGA involvement and attendance, with input from general board members and committee directors.

“SGA legacy awards are something I'm really proud to finally launch,” House said. “It's something that I've been working on for a while and just haven't been able to launch until recently.”

During the general board meeting’s public comment, Shirin Umarova asked why she was removed as an associate justice unexpectedly. She said she felt it had to do with her identity and an RSO she is affiliated with.

Student Body President Akua Achaempong said the letter she sent to Umarova informing her of her removal included the reasons. The letter can be found in the documents posted on SGA's Engage Central page under the title "Associate Justice Umarova Notice of Removal."

Umarova was removed because she didn’t follow Article VII, section two, clause a (i) of the bylaws, which advises justices to remove themselves from participating in a hearing if they are an active member of the same RSO as the accused. Achaempong said as president, that choice is within her authority to make.

“It (Article VII) does say that for justices ruling on a case that involves their RSO, or any RSO that they're affiliated with, that they should recuse themselves,” Achaempong said. “Unfortunately, that was not the case. I attempted to have a conversation that didn't yield any results, and unfortunately, I had to take the most drastic step.”

Umarova said she reached out to Achaempong prior to public comment and didn't receive a response. She will be proceeding with a Supreme Court hearing to challenge the decision.

“I did read the letter, and I did interpret it, but there was a lot of other contexts along with it,” Umarova said. “I'm a firm believer in standing by your identity and not having your identity and these things and RSOs you take part in interfere with your other responsibilities.”

In other news:

SGA’s House approved Treasurer Christian Dunn’s legislation to create a Constitutional Governance and Restructuring Committee. This is the first piece of legislation passed this year.
The House will vote on the three remaining pieces of legislation passed by the Senate on March 23 during its next meeting.
SGA posted another cap and gown giveaway on their Instagram on March 31.