Student Senate appointed a new secretary on Thursday, following the former secretary’s decision to step down from the position in October.
SU sophomore Trent Bauer was appointed to be the new secretary after a committee comprised of Student Senate members interviewed him and other candidates.
Kayla Lawson, a student athlete at SU, left her position as Student Senate secretary because of her busy schedule. However, her former colleagues harbor no negative feelings about her decision.
“I have nothing but praise and good things to say about [Lawson.] She did a phenomenal job while she was in office,” said SU Student Senate President Dominic Giovanniello.
The committee that interviewed Bauer was made up of Giovanniello, Treasurer Justin Schneider and Vice President Traci Moyer and it was created to appoint a new secretary following Lawson’s decision to step down. Upon interviewing numerous student senators, the committee nominated Bauer for the position.
During a formal meeting on Nov. 5, the Student Senate voted in favor of approving Bauer for the position of Student Senate secretary. Student Senate members announced Lawson’s decision to step down as Student Senate secretary during a formal meeting on Oct. 29.
Giovanniello expressed his confidence in Bauer’s qualifications for the position, citing his dedication to SU as well as his competence in public relations.
“Trent just really stands out,” Giovanniello said. “He really excels at the PR aspect.”
Despite being new to the position, Bauer has already outlined issues that he wishes to address during his tenure as secretary. Specifically, he emphasized his desire to improve Student Senate’s relationship with students.
“Right now, students don’t really view us as students,” Bauer said.“We want to make [our relationship] more personal and less formal.”
Bauer believes that public forums and other events that give the chance for senators and students to mingle are the perfect methods to positively alter the relationship between Student Senate and students. Through public forums, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of Student Senate’s affairs while simultaneously fostering a better relationship with Senate members.
There will be a Student Senate public forum on Wednesday at 7p.m. in the Ordorff Theater dealing with tuition concerns.
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