SGA elects new members, discusses plans for spring semester
Students Victor Okike, Fatima Malik and Vasundhara Shelke (left to right) being sworn into the SGA's cabinet during their meeting on Jan. 13. (Blace Carpenter | CM Life)
The Central Michigan University Student Government Association (SGA) swore in a new senator as well as new members for the Student Budget and Allocations Committee (SBAC) and the association's cabinet. The House also announced their plan for new breakout legislative sessions.
SGA President Carolina Hernandez Ruiz said she is hoping for a productive semester.
“I feel like many times we are talking about a lot of issues, but it's just a conversation," Hernandez Ruiz said. We actually want to get hands-on, actually writing things and connecting with campus resources. What I’m expecting from SGA this semester is action.”
Speaker of the House Christian Dunn discussed his plan for breakout legislative sessions, in hopes that the association can hear more from students and push more legislation.
“When we meet as a smaller group, it's more of getting feedback on what we hear about campus,” Dunn said. “We have forms that tell us what feedback that is. And then that committee will decide on, ‘oh here’s some solutions’ and kind of problem solve so we can create legislation.”
These sessions will take place during the house meeting, which is around 8 p.m. every Monday, will led by Dunn, Clerk of the House Aliza Punches and the House’s Speaker Pro Tempore Isa Caraballo. Representatives will discuss in groups about three main topics: Campus safety, academic issues and housing and dining.
Dunn said these sessions are open to all students around campus, and anyone interested can contact him by email.
“I would never turn a student away for wanting to help either write legislation or give an idea,” Dunn said.
New senate, cabinet, judicial and SBAC members
SGA swore in Junior Aksh Chaturvedi to represent the CMU’s College of Science and Engineering in the senate. Chaturvedi won with a unanimous vote and had to give a speech during the general meeting on why he should be elected.
Junior Aksh Chaturvedi was sworn in as SGA's senator for the College of Science and Engineering during their meeting on Jan. 13. (Blace Carpenter | CM Life)
“I will talk with the dean and everyone so we can do something to help our education get better as a science and engineering student,” Chaturvedi said.
This was part of the SGA’s emergency senate election. The association currently has seven senate positions open.
SGA also swore in many other positions within the association during their meeting:
- Avery Harbison, House Representative for SBAC
- Jake Phillips, Member of the SBAC Committee
- Victor Okike, Athletic Liaison for SGA Cabinet
- Fatima Malik, Associate Justice for SGA Judicial Branch
- Vasundhara Shelke, Associate Justice for SGA Judicial Branch
In Other Events
- CMU President Neil MacKinnon will be speaking with SGA during their Jan. 27 meeting. Hernandez Ruiz says it’ll be a great opportunity for SGA to meet and share concerns or ideas with the new president.
- SGA Vice President Aashka Barot wanted SGA members to remind students that the deadline to remove the sustainability fee from their tuition bill is this Thursday, Jan. 16.
