Applications for two freshmen at large Senate seats closed yesterday, but other seats are still open.
Freshmen at large senators represent and vote on behalf of their class within Student Senate. Their responsibilities include attending meetings, voting on legislation and evaluating bills and resolutions in committees.
All candidates are required to attend a seminar at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Student Life Conference Room in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.
Joanna Whipple, political science/philosophy junior, handles all Student Court matters and Student Government Association elections. Whipple said the new senators will be expected to help set goals for SGA and influence the direction of student government during their term as a freshman senator.
“There are two seats for freshmen at large senators, so the two candidates who receive the most votes by the student body are elected to the position,” she said.
Freshmen at large senators are elected by the last week of September each year and are sworn in at the Senate meeting following their election.
Austin Gipson-Black, religion/philosophy and political science junior, is the vice president of SGA and chairman of the Student Senate.
Gipson-Black said that freshmen at large senators are the same as other senators. The only difference is who they represent.
“The freshmen at large senators have the same voting rights as everyone else, but they only represent the freshman class,” Gipson-Black said.
Lesley Black, associate dean of students and SGA adviser, said students can gain experience working collaboratively with other individuals, building consensus, thinking critically, and advocating for others within SGA.
“Involved students have the opportunity to appropriate money to student organizations, provide funding for student organizations, and they can put forth resolutions to request that the university pay attention to particular issues, and request the university provide certain services and so on,” Black said.
There are nine Senate seats open. The open seats are for:
– dance and arts management,
– graduate,
– law,
– two sophomore at large, and
– two graduate at large.
Students interested in applying for Senate seats may email Gipson-Black at gagipsonblack@my.okcu.edu for more information.
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