SGA President and Vice President Decided by GPA

After over an hour of deliberating, the next Student Government Association President and Vice President have seemingly been decided, even before candidate information became public.  

The big issue of the Mar. 28 SGA student senate meeting was how to navigate a massive problem: two student’s unmet GPA requirements.  

The GPA requirement for all SGA members is 3.0 for undergraduates and 2.5 for graduate and law students, with both ticket parties in the SGA presidential elections having one member who did not meet that.  

A question was brought before the Senate that would have suspended the GPA requirement for all SGA high officers, President and Vice President, and been installed until the next executive branch took office.  

Through a lengthy process of three different failed proposed amendments, this question also eventually failed leaving two options for the tickets: re-open the election applications and allow both parties to run again or combine for an automation win, with the decision being the latter.  

The first amendment proposed would have shortened the length of time that the GPA requirement suspension was in effect. 

If passed it would have moved from the whole academic year until the beginning of the 2024-25 school year but was ultimately pulled.  

The second amendment opted for a more equal stance for all SGA members, with the idea of suspending all SGA members’ GPA requirements. 

 This would have set the precedent of being able to opt out of the GPA requirements at any time.  

This amendment was narrowly denied with a vote of four Yes’s to five No’s.  

The third amendment brought to the floor would have lowered the GPA requirement to equal the law and graduate students 2.5.  

The vote to instate the original question needed two-thirds of the Senate to pass it, but it was also denied with the end vote equaling four Yes’s and seven No’s.  

The result of the meeting was a combination of the two tickets. 

Korbin Cardoza will take over the office of the President and Fares Maarouf will slot in as the Vice President.  

This decision will be finalized on Mar. 29 at noon.