Senators elected and confirmed a new Speaker of the Senate Monday night during the Slippery Rock Student Government Association’s (SGA) formal meeting.
Sen. Hannah D’Egidio, a sophomore music education major, was elected and confirmed in a 20-10 vote to beat Sen. Caleb Covey. The two Senators were the only ones to apply for the position previously held by former Speaker Kyle Mennor.
D’Egidio said she was honored to be confirmed for the position in an emailed statement.
“As the Speaker, I plan on meeting regularly with current senate members to improve the function of the senate and create a welcoming community that will encourage more students to join us in the future,” D’Egidio said in her email.
D’Egidio will hold the position until the end of the semester when a new executive board will be elected.
Those elections now have a timeline announced Monday night by Sen. Madison King, who chairs the SGA Election Commission.
Applications for all available positions will open March 1 through March 19. Candidates eligible to be on the ballot will be notified a week later.
Starting March 29, candidates will be able to begin campaigning before voting opens up on April 5.
On March 30, The Rocket and WSRU-TV will hold a candidate forum. Winners of the election will be announced on April 13.
In a move to cut time so Senators could attend SRU President William Behre’s discussion on the recent Zoom bombing attack, the body rolled five funding measures totaling more than $260,000 into one vote that was approved.
More than half of the amount approved went to cooperative activities that requested funds equal to the portion of their previously cut budget due to the pandemic. The $159,000 will be used to continue funding initiatives put forth by them.
ROCK the Weekend received $15,765 to continue with planned events.
The Flute Ensemble will receive $698 to pay for events that were scheduled almost a year ago.
The funding approval also fully funds the Happy Bus for the upcoming academic year and covers insurance costs.
The SGA and Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association both received $500 each in Conference Grants. Organizations can apply for money to help cover the costs of beneficial conferences that are held remotely.
Two bylaw amendments proposed at the last formal meeting were tabled again to give time for the language to be clarified.
The amendments will require Senators to participate in diversity and mental health events every year.
President Joey Sciuto said the measures should be tabled while the language is finalized and while the Senate work on new priorities in light of the Zoom bombing.
Before the SGA’s next formal meeting, it will hold a special meeting on March 1 at 5 p.m.
During the special meeting, the SGA will recognize the social justice response plan and vote on a proclamation recognizing the need for a counselor of color on campus.
