SGA House and Senate leaders chosen, 10 senators elected at Sept. 16 meeting
Student Government Association Vice President Lyndi Rose swears in new members of the SGA Senate Sept. 16 in Bovee University Center Auditorium.
Central Michigan University’s Student Government Association held elections Monday evening to select a house leader, senate leader and to fill a spate of vacant senate seats.
All 24 senate seats sat vacant at the beginning of the Sept. 16 meeting, and because there were only ten candidates, each candidate only needed one vote to be elected. Each of the candidates, four of which were SGA members, were elected to the senate.
Each candidate had one minute to describe what they’d like to accomplish this year and answered two questions from the audience, as was decided by a vote in the house. Themes of inclusion, equality and sustainability recurred in many of the candidates’ speeches.
In his speech, Chicago freshman Caleob Mitchell described himself as a student activist seeking to elevate marginalized voices.
SGA meetings take place 7 p.m. every Monday in Bovee University Center Auditorium and are free for all students to attend.
“I want to... see more minority people of color (and) queer people in powerful positions and open up more dialogue about those identities that get kind of tossed in the back,” Mitchell said.
Muskegon junior Taylor Dibble spoke of a “strong disconnect” between Greek Life and the rest of the campus. Dibble represented the Collegiate Panhellenic Council in SGA’s House last year and wants to continue her work to mend the gaps wherever they may be.
“If we reconnected Greek Life and all of Central, we’d be much stronger fighting for the issues of the whole campus needs,” Dibble said. She said mutual involvement between SGA and Greek Life may strengthen the rest of the community’s bond with Greek Life.
Carlton senior Anna Whitwam was reelected as house leader for a second term and screamed with excitement as SGA members hugged her after the vote. Whitwam entered SGA as a house representative two years ago.
“It feels amazing,” Whitwam said. “This is my senior year, so this is my last year with all my peers, and I just couldn’t think of a better way to end my senior year on an awesome note… It’s very empowering for me, and I love to empower others to be the best person they can be, and to also be the best leader they can be.”
Gaylord junior Joshua Moody was elected senate leader. Last year Moody served in SGA’s senate, in which students represent CMU’s colleges, as a senator for undeclared students & Global Campus.
In his election speech, Moody spoke of “stagnation” in student-to-student communication at CMU and said he wants to develop ways for students to “be normal instead of just stressed all the time,” such as placing benches around campus where students can sit to signal they want to have a conversation with somebody.
“I’m hoping to help my senators build community, as well as build community myself as one of my projects,” Moody said. “That being said, I’m super excited for whatever comes my way.”
At next week’s meeting, senators will likely be appointed to the colleges they will represent and six committees will begin meeting to discuss their goals for the year and how to accomplish them.
