The Students’ Association Senate elected junior Dave Ladon as the new speaker of the senate, and sophomore Emily Zametkin as the deputy speaker on April 18.
Ladon hopes to be an activist for the student body.
“I really care about our student body,” he said. “I would like to impact students’ lives where the administration falls short.”
This year, Ladon served as class of 2006 senator and is currently on the communications and political finance distinction committees. His specific goals include issues that affect the greater student body.
“I want to work on meal plans and diversity, as well as [being an] advocate for groups who are discriminated against and feel as though they have been brushed off by administrators,” Ladon said.
Zametkin is currently a class of 2007 senator, chairperson of the policy committee and a member of the steering committee.
“I decided to run for deputy speaker because I think that the new government is capable of doing some great things for this school,” Zametkin said. “I really hope to make student government, and especially senate, an environment that will foster the development of new ideas on how we can improve life here on campus for all students.”
Both Ladon and Zametkin are enthusiastic about their new positions. “I’m excited to work with [juniors] Matt [Goldblatt] and Katherine [Del Balso] to start improving student life on campus,” Ladon said.
Zametkin echoed Ladon’s sentiments. “I’m excited to get to know the new members of student government, and I hope to encourage senators to reach out to their constituents,” she said.
Monday’s meeting marked the end of seniors Tom Hayes’ and Becca Wolfson’s terms as speaker and deputy speaker, respectively.
“Thank you all for your service this past year,” Hayes said. “It has been my pleasure serving you in my role as speaker. We have created a solid framework of internal SA activity. Groups now have an easier time of achieving their goals.”
In addition to the election of speaker and deputy speaker, the senate made a motion to add $5,000 from the reserve to the supplemental funds.
“Everyone says the reserves are very healthy,” senator and sophomore Robert Cavanaugh said. “This way, we have a good amount to start with next year.”
Other senators disagreed. “I feel that dipping into the reserve and creating an unbalanced budget is not a good way to start the year [since many of the senators next year are new],” senator and junior Tyson Ford said.
The motion narrowly passed with an 8 -7 vote.
In one of his final moves as SA president and senior Pete Nabozny vetoed the motion.
“It puts us in the red,” Nabozny said. “Why don’t we wait to see and add $5,000, $7,000 or $10,000 if we need it – the new senators know that it is an option.”
The veto upset some senators. Senator and junior Gordon Arsenoff was angered that Nabozny even participated in final budgeting. “The president overstepped his authority,” he said.
“[The president’s role] under the constitution is a representative for all student groups,” Nabozny said. “By no means did I overstep my bound by participating in final budgeting.”
Ultimately, the senate overturned Nabozny’s veto in a 12-4 vote. “Obviously, I disagree with the decision, but I guess I understand that I have no credibility as a lame-duck SA president,” he said.
Gorode can be reached at kgorode@campustimes.org.
