This story was originally posted on May 2, 2022. Visit the Nevada Sagebrush Archive to see all past stories.
The senate of the Associated Students of the University of Nevada reconvened for the first time after the special elections. Going forward, the Senate body will be operating at its full capacity with all 22 senators.
All senators elected during the special elections were confirmed during the meeting.
Five directors appointed
The senate body nominated and approved the final five directors and officers, who will serve on the President’s Cabinet.
Chris Rowe was nominated and approved to the Office of Director of Sustainability. Rowe does not have any prior experience in the association.
Zane Taylor was nominated and approved to the Office of Chief Justice. Prior to his nomination and approval, Taylor served as an associate justice.
Tre Taylor was nominated and approved to the Office of Director of Clubs and Organizations. Taylor previously served as the assistant director of club renewal and intern prior to his nomination and approval.
Maria Zamudio was nominated and approved to the Office of Director of Programming. Zamudio served as an event programmer prior to his nomination and approval.
Jada Maglinao was nominated and approved to the Office of Chief of Internal Affairs. Maglinao served as an event programmer prior to her nomination and approval.
The previously confirmed directors are as followed:
Ashley Martinez, Chief of Staff
Director of Government Affairs, Amanda Vaskov
Trace Wolfgang, Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Carlos Lara, Director of Campus and Public Relations
Boris Carpio Guerra, Director of Campus Wellness
Jakob Schein, Attorney General
Committee chairs elected
Committee chairs were finally elected after being postponed for two weeks of the session due to special elections.. Chair-elects are as follows:
Committee on Democratic Civic Engagement: Kimberly Claussen, senator for the College of Liberal Arts
Committee on Government Operations: Nivetha Nithyanandan, senator for the College of Science
Committee on Academics and Student Affairs:
Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Jaime Gonzalez-Aguirre, senator for the Reynolds School of Journalism
Committee on Budget and Finance: Nathan Noble, senator for the College of Liberal Arts
Committee on Safety, Sustainability and Wellness: Emma Bergren, senator for the School of Public Health
An Act Ensuring the Recognition of All Officers at Commencement is re-passed through the Senate and passed
An Act Ensuring the Recognition of All Officers at Commencement passed through the eighty-ninth session but was vetoed by Austin Brown, former president of ASUN. Jake Schein, current attorney general and former speaker of the eighty-ninth session, authored the piece of legislation and Bergren sponsored it.
“Student fees should not be used to purchase materials that are not required to complete the job duty of an ASUN Officer,” stated Brown as the reason for the veto.
The piece was sent back to the Senate, fast-tracked and passed by the ninetieth session.
The piece of legislation would ensure all officers are recognized at commencement, including those who work at the Center for Student Engagement. According to the piece, a singular stole costs $76.
Previously, only elected officers and the President’s Cabinet received stoles. Any other officer must work in ASUN for three sessions to receive one.
According to the legislation” [t]his enforces a toxic hierarchy to the work done by officers, inferring that the work done by the Cabinet is more important than those done by other appointed officers.”
The piece was passed by unanimous consent and is expected to not be vetoed by Dionne Stanfill, current ASUN president.
Emerson Drewes can be reached via email at edrewes@sagebrush.unr.edu or via Twitter @EmersonDrewes.
