Congress selects new leaders
By: Elisabeth Gilbert, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: University
The changing of the guard ran smoothly at the three-hour first meeting of UNC's 90th Student Congress session.
New leaders stepped up, and new members got their first real taste of student government.
"I feel kind of like a layman in a very technical process," said newcomer Matt James, a sophomore. "By going to more meetings, I'll be more aware of parliamentary procedure."
He added that he plans to read the full Student Code before the next meeting.
Tim Nichols, last session's speaker pro tem, was unanimously elected to be speaker by the 32 members present, taking over from this year's speaker Tyler Younts.
As soon as the result of the vote was announced, Younts gathered his belongings with a smile and left the room, leaving Nichols to begin his new role.
"It feels fantastic," Nichols said after the session.
He said Congress' most important goal this session will be to increase its advocacy for students. He also hopes to increase graduate student representation to reflect the student body more accurately.
"This is going to guide us to a successful Student Congress for the next year," Nichols said of his platform, which features increased interaction with the student body and new select committees to focus on constituents' needs.
Nichols also said he hopes to have a good relationship with the executive branch. New Student Body Treasurer Pedro Carreno was Congress' finance committee chairman last session.
Sophomore Bryan Weynand was selected as the new speaker pro tem.
Also elected were the chairmen and members of Congress' three regular committees - finance, student affairs and rules and judiciary - as well as the chairwoman and members of the special ethics committee.
Mike Morrill was elected as finance committee chairman, Ben Mickey as rules and judiciary committee chairman and Meagan Jones as student affairs committee chairwoman. Charissa Lloyd will serve as ethics committee chairwoman.
Lloyd said she has high hopes for this session, which includes many members who have never participated in Congress before.
Twenty-eight of the 38 Congress representatives are new to the organization. There are 41 seats total in Congress.
"I was impressed with how involved all of the first-years wanted to be," Lloyd said, pointing out that first-year representatives ran for chairmen positions of all three regular committees. "I think it's going to be a great year."
First-year members such as James still will have much to learn as the session gets underway.
But by the second hour of the meeting, even the newest of representatives had developed an important skill - calling "question" to end discussion and bring an issue to a vote.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
New leaders stepped up, and new members got their first real taste of student government.
"I feel kind of like a layman in a very technical process," said newcomer Matt James, a sophomore. "By going to more meetings, I'll be more aware of parliamentary procedure."
He added that he plans to read the full Student Code before the next meeting.
Tim Nichols, last session's speaker pro tem, was unanimously elected to be speaker by the 32 members present, taking over from this year's speaker Tyler Younts.
As soon as the result of the vote was announced, Younts gathered his belongings with a smile and left the room, leaving Nichols to begin his new role.
"It feels fantastic," Nichols said after the session.
He said Congress' most important goal this session will be to increase its advocacy for students. He also hopes to increase graduate student representation to reflect the student body more accurately.
"This is going to guide us to a successful Student Congress for the next year," Nichols said of his platform, which features increased interaction with the student body and new select committees to focus on constituents' needs.
Nichols also said he hopes to have a good relationship with the executive branch. New Student Body Treasurer Pedro Carreno was Congress' finance committee chairman last session.
Sophomore Bryan Weynand was selected as the new speaker pro tem.
Also elected were the chairmen and members of Congress' three regular committees - finance, student affairs and rules and judiciary - as well as the chairwoman and members of the special ethics committee.
Mike Morrill was elected as finance committee chairman, Ben Mickey as rules and judiciary committee chairman and Meagan Jones as student affairs committee chairwoman. Charissa Lloyd will serve as ethics committee chairwoman.
Lloyd said she has high hopes for this session, which includes many members who have never participated in Congress before.
Twenty-eight of the 38 Congress representatives are new to the organization. There are 41 seats total in Congress.
"I was impressed with how involved all of the first-years wanted to be," Lloyd said, pointing out that first-year representatives ran for chairmen positions of all three regular committees. "I think it's going to be a great year."
First-year members such as James still will have much to learn as the session gets underway.
But by the second hour of the meeting, even the newest of representatives had developed an important skill - calling "question" to end discussion and bring an issue to a vote.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
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