SGA’s Graduate Affairs gets a proven leader

Attorney General Hooks providing counsel on IROP. Photo courtesy: Kandon Fears

The senate meeting Monday began an hour later than its scheduled time due to the celebration on the Set regarding Florida A&M’s recent surge in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. The senators mingled with one another and grabbed dinner before getting down to business.

The meeting began with testimonies from leaders of the Campus Activities Board as well as the executive and judicial branches. CAB Director Lewis spoke about the successes of Welcome Week, but expressed doubt that the pep rally that was canceled due to Hurricane Idalia would be rescheduled.

Vice President Jeffrey Francis and the Francis and President Mondelus Administration Chief of Staff, Jada Jenkins, highlighted the Student Government Association’s upcoming breast cancer awareness walk set for October 13th. The two also announced that there will be a comedy show during the week of Homecoming, putting speculation and rumors to rest regarding the possibility that there wouldn’t be one.

Chief Justice Klarissa Appiah informed the Senate of vacant positions within the judicial branch. Congratulations were also in order for the newly confirmed Secretary of Graduate Affairs Ashley Lacy.

Lacy is an environmental science Ph.D. candidate who cruised through the confirmation with ease, citing how her current role as the Graduate Student Association President would help her to combine tasks and excel in the role.

With her new position, Lacy hopes to reach graduate students and encourage them to get more active on campus. Lacy was confirmed by a unanimous vote.

The remainder of the meeting was spent discussing and revising the Strike Team Internal Rules of Procedures. The senate opened the gallery several times to let their former colleague and current SGA Attorney General Elijah Hooks give advice. He offered his expertise contesting many technicalities and providing clarity on the language used within IROP.