The Student Government Association appointed five new officials and allocated $22,052 to two organizations at a special meeting on Feb. 21.
Following snow cancellations on Feb. 12 and an observed Monday schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 19, SGA did not meet for two weeks. Due to the lapse in meetings, SGA had appointments to fill and two budget appeals to approve that would not fit in the schedule of a typical Tuesday meeting.
Executive Treasurer Ian Mandt and Vice Treasurer Rachel Levin decided to recruit new members to help them complete their duties. The Treasury team unanimously appointed former Journalism Senator Joseph Davidi and freshman Amogh Matthews. Historically, the Treasury team consisted of solely the executive and vice treasurers.
“It’s hard to see from an outside perspective, but [Mandt and Levin] have a lot more work than it looks like, and the amount of time they spend on Treasury is pretty insane, so I think they need all the support they can get,” Davidi said at the meeting.
SGA also appointed junior Jasmine Williams and senior Jillian Anderson as the new Intercultural and Emerson Los Angeles Commissioners.
Williams, a former Protesting Oppression With Educational Reform senator, said she hopes to make non-academic student life more culturally aware, especially in student housing.
Anderson was the director of programming at the Emerson Channel in fall 2018 before going to ELA in spring 2019. Anderson joined the meeting remotely from Los Angeles by watching the live-stream and texting her responses to questions.
Anderson said she wants to work on increasing dietary options at ELA. Levin, the vice treasurer, said the food stipend ELA students receive is not accepted at many local eateries with options for people with dietary restrictions.
“[Williams is] a hard worker—she’s determined, and she’s responsible. I know that when she has a vision and when she wants to accomplish something, she will stop at nothing until it is done and done right,” Assistant Public Relations Chair Nicole Poitras said.
SGA unanimously approved Lily Hennessy as the junior class senator. Class of 2020 President Caroline King said the position remained vacant for a while.
King said the Class of 2020 Class Council approved Hennessy to represent her class, but she required final approval from SGA before taking the position. Hennessy will not have a vote as an appointed senator, but she will serve as a representative for her class’ interests.
SGA unanimously approved an $8,382 appeal from Emerson Cheer Squad for new uniforms and a $13,670 appeal from Emerson Forensics to attend two national conferences.
The Financial Advisory Board recommended both appeals to SGA in two earlier meetings. Because the appeals were for more than $5,000 each, FAB cannot independently grant the appeals, but they can recommend them to SGA Joint Session for final approval.
