The University of Maine Student Government’s General Student Senate announced the new vice president and vice president for Financial Affairs of UMSG Inc., allocated $1,000 to Mainely Voices and saw presentations from 10 different groups during the 20th meeting of the 35th session on April 15 inside the Memorial Union’s Bangor Room.
Stewart, Le tapped to fill exec seats
Through a rather untraditional process due to graduating seniors, members from a previously assembled executive task force announced two candidates who will fill the soon-to-be vacant offices of vice president and vice president for Financial Affairs.
Senate pro tempore and Executive Budgetary Committee member Sen. Harold Stewart, a native of Presque Isle, Maine, will replace Vice President Hall as the GSS’ presiding officer following UMaine’s 2014 commencement ceremony in May.
Non-GSS member Hoang Anh “Christine” Le, a first-year student from Saco, Maine, will replace Vice President for Financial Affairs Conant when he transitions into the presidency of UMSG Inc.
Le is pursuing a degree in accounting and marketing and is a member of UMaine’s Honors College.
Conant and Sens. Corey Morton and Derek Vigue led the executive task force formed a couple weeks ago to find viable candidates for the two positions.
“We wanted to be very transparent,” Morton said. “Our objective was to provide the student body with the most effective executives who will successfully uphold our constitution.”
Mainely Voices funded $1,000
The GSS allocated $1,000 to UMaine’s mixed a cappella group Mainely Voices during the April 15 meeting to be used for “venue costs and transportation” toward the organization’s upcoming spring tour. Club Vice President Nate Williams explained:
“We’re doing our first spring tour in program history … this is a big success for us,” he said. “We need help with vans, which we’ve already registered.”
With 10 to 12 shows planned, Williams said the group is prepared to be doing “a lot of singing.”
Sixteen members are expected to travel. Other sources of funding toward the trip include: $800 from the organization bank account and $100 from paid night shows.
The resolution received a unanimous ought to pass vote during committee.
10 clubs present
Ten different clubs presented to the GSS on various conferences and events during the April 15 meeting.
UMaine American Marketing Association, represented by club treasurer Dan Kaepplinger, presented on its recent trip to New Orleans, La. where they participated in the 36th Annual AMA International Collegiate Conference from April 10-12 at the Sheraton New Orleans.
Kaepplinger, a fifth-year business administration and marketing student, said the conference was full of workshops to help professional development.
Animation Club, represented by club librarian Cody Emerson, presented on its recent trip to Boston to participate in the 2014 Anime Boston Convention from March 21-23 at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Boston.
Emerson, a third-year pre-med and biology student, said it was a learning experience.
“It was great to be given the opportunity to talk with people within the industry,” he said.
Field Hockey Club, represented by club President Elena Barnes, presented on its spring 2014 season. Barnes, a third-year engineering technology student, said that despite one of the team’s players getting seriously hurt during one of the games, the season went well.
“Your funding was very beneficial to our team this whole season,” she said. “We were able to increase our roster size too, which was huge.”
The UMaine Equestrian Team, represented by club President Megan Story, presented on its recent regional and zone horse shows. Story, a third-year business administration and accounting student, said this year’s postseason was one of the best in the club’s history.
“We sent a rider to ‘zones’ for the first time in our program’s history, so that’s pretty exciting,” she said. “The rider placed fifth out of 12 riders.”
UMaine Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), represented by club Vice President Ben Moore, presented on its recent trip to Detroit to compete at the SAE 2014 World Congress & Exhibition from April 8-10 at the Cobo Center.
“[The competition] was great exposure for our team and the university,” Moore said. “Obviously for Detroit, the hotel was pretty inexpensive, but we thank you for your contributions.”
Women’s Lacrosse Club, represented by Vice President Emily Vannozzi, presented on its most recent lacrosse season. Vannozzi said the team played all over New England and posted a 2-6 record.
“It was a really good opportunity and we’ve been growing our team,” she said. “We’re really excited about next year.”
The Orono Student Nurses’ Association, represented by two of its club members, presented on its trip to Nashville, Tenn. to participate in the 62nd Annual National Student Nurses’ Association Convention from April 9-13 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
According to the members, 10 students attended and OSNA was the only student group from the state of Maine.
Phi Sigma Pi, represented by Sen. Zachary White, presented on its trip to Amherst, Mass. to participate in the Phi Sigma Pi Northeast Regional Conference from April 11-13 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Student Women’s Association, represented by co-chair Casey Weed, presented on its trip to Amherst, Mass. to participate in the 2014 Civil Liberties and Public Policy Conference from April 11-13 at Hampshire College.
Women’s Rugby Club, represented by club President Caitlin Morgan, presented on its recent spring season. Morgan said the club now has the largest program on the entire east coast.
Exec, other reports
In his report, President Aaron Ortiz said he’s been continuing his work with soon-to-be-president Conant to provide a clean transition for new executives coming in.
In his report, Hall congratulated his future successor, Sen. Harold Stewart, and said he’s still in the process of writing down precedents to help next year’s executive board.
In his report, Conant listed all allocations under $1,000: $945 to the Asian Student Association toward their annual Taste of Asia event on April 28 in honor of Asian Heritage Month; $600 to the International Student Association toward a graduation banquet event; and $280 to the UMaine Scuba Club toward a diving trip.
In his report, Vice President for Student Organizations Andrew Prusaitis said he would be continuing his work on a Student Organizations newsletter for the next two weeks to better promote what’s going on.
In his report, Vice President for Student Entertainment Patrick Fortier-Brown congratulated the newly appointed executives and said he is “looking forward to a good thing in the future.” Also, he said he had just recently drafted up his first security contract for a future concert.
“What happened last semester [at Pretty Lights] won’t happen again,” he said. “People will be held liable this time.”
In her report, Panhellenic President Jamie Steven announced UMaine Greek Life would be bringing a new honors society to campus next year called Gamma Sigma Alpha. According to the society’s website, it was founded 25 years ago in 1989 and exists to “recognize and advance academic excellence as a core value of fraternities and sororities.”
Gate 33 granted prelim recognition, Standing Rules amended
Student group Gate 33 was granted preliminary recognition during the April 15 meeting. Club member Marcella Chevoit, a second-year journalism student, spoke on behalf of the group, thanking the GSS after recognition was given.
According to Chevoit, Gate 33 meets on Wednesday nights and is looking for group mentoring. They have already hosted a couple of foosball tournaments.
The GSS also approved a resolution sponsored by Sen. Bradley Gannon and co-sponsored by Policy and Procedure Chair Sen. Sean Foley to change Rule III, Section 1, Paragraph B of the GSS Standing Rules to eradicate an obsolete committee.
The committee, called the Standing Committee on Administrative & Academy Policy, existed only in the Standing Rules and has since been replaced by the Policy and Procedure Committee, according to the resolution.
The resolution received a 5-0-3 recommendation from committee before being passed by the GSS.