The Student Government Association president and vice-president said the Senate and executive branches of SGA will cooperate next semester on several projects.
Michael Warren, president-elect and a political science junior, said he and the vice-president-elect, Emilee Lehenbauer, have good relationships with next fall’s senate leadership.
“Fortunately for this year in Senate, we enjoy close personal friendship with the senate chairman, vice chairman and many other committee chairs,” Warren said.
Lehenbauer, an international business and nutritional sciences junior, said the team understands it’s important for the Senate and executive cabinet to work together.
“Michael and I both understand how important it is to foster a positive relationship with the Senate body,” Lehenbauer said. “There are so many great things we hope to accomplish next year, but we’ll be unable to achieve these goals unless every branch of the Student Government Association is working together towards a common purpose.”
Warren said their executive team represents the campus and has potential to change programs at OSU.
“We have a diverse group from all over OSU,” Warren said.
Lehenbauer said she and Warren were confident in their executive cabinet.
“We’re excited about all of us working as a team to effect change on this campus,” Lehenbauer said. “We’re already blown away by the quality of individuals who will be serving on our executive cabinet.”
Warren said the controversy from SGA refusing to approve two appointees on their executive cabinet was unfortunate but had been dealt with.
“It’s hard to get things done when people refuse to compromise,” Warren said. “As a political science major, I understand the potential roadblocks that can stem from an unhealthy relationship between the executive and legislative branch.”
Warren said he would resubmit his nominee, Billy Collins, the Freshman Representative Council Activity Fee Allocation Process intern, for AFAP chairman, and look for a new attorney general nominee in summer.
“I was saddened that the Senate did not approve Matthew Beier for attorney general,” Warren said. “He is a hard worker and his service within SGA for the last three years has made me proud to call him a friend.”
Warren said he had faith the Senate will approve Collins next semester.
“I believe they would have likely approved him this semester had they secured a copy of his application or asked Emilee and I about his qualifications before voting,” Warren said.
Kent Sampson, SGA adviser, met with Warren, Lehenbauer and other senators Thursday and spoke with them about working together.
He said the Senate and executive cabinet should have a good relationship in fall.
“Some of the senators and executives are working together and discussing how to make things better,” Sampson said. “There are other items and elements of personnel that have fueled the fire, so to speak, but frankly I think their responses were positive. ‘We can do better,’ I think people were saying.”
Lehenbauer said fall will see a different Senate and mood in SGA.
“We’ve had a rough start, but have since met with senate leadership and feel confident about the direction we’re headed for the future,” Lehenbauer said.
Justin Biassou, an aviation education junior, will be the senate chairman in fall.
“I think it’s going to go quite well,” he said. “Right now, we plan on combining senate steering with executive leadership meetings next year since they have meetings and talk about, things we want to know about and we talk about things they want to know about.”
Loading ...
All Articles