Junior Bronwen Van Hooft and sophomore Santo Marciano were elected Monday to become the new Students? Association Senate speaker and deputy speaker respectively for 2001-2002.
Van Hooft, the current deputy speaker, said that her role as the speaker for the next term is ?to be the voice of senate.?
During her term in office, Van Hooft plans to increase the student government?s accountability to the student body.
?It is imperative that the senate become more involved within the campus community by actively soliciting student feedback,? she said. ?I am hoping that senate will be able to provide a session to incoming students about the Students? Association and the role of senate within it.?
Candidates for the position of speaker were junior Ashley Conner and Van Hooft.
Van Hooft believes that her position in office will also encourage unity among the student government.
?I would also like to see a more cohesive relationship between the legislative and executive branches next year,? she said.
Van Hooft also believes that her position ?must also unbiasly represent the interests of the students and be organized and prepared to vocalize the concerns and ideas of the senate to the student body, administration and media.?
Current senior and Speaker of the Senate Damon Dimmick said the role of the speaker is to act as the main liaison between the senate and the administration.
The speaker moderaes debates and acts as the representative of the senate, serving as the primary advocate and head diplomat to the administration, the press and the student body.
The only candidate for deputy speaker, Marciano said that he wants to build on the improvements that this year?s senate has made.
?My only real goal, that really applies to everything I do, is to do my best,? Marciano said.
The role of the deputy speaker is to be the parliamentarian. The deputy speaker is responsible for enforcing rules of order and making certain that all decisions and discussions are archived for reference by students in the future.
Although Dimmick holds high expectations for Van Hooft and Marciano, he anticipates that the new elected speaker will face challenges in the new year.
?The speaker-elect will have the difficult task of constantly fighting for the rights of students while balancing the necessity for diplomacy and compromise,? Dimmick said. ?The deputy speaker-elect will have to master his knowledge of the Students? Association and develop the skills needed to enforce the rules by which the senate operates.?
