The joint session of the 74th and 75th sessions of the Texas A&M Student Senate was held on Wednesday, April 27, officially ending the 74th Session and giving the 75th Session the chance to legislate for the first time. The 75th Session also elected new Academic Affairs and Student Services Committee chairs.
A special session of the 75th Session met first, confirming the rest of Student Body President Case Harris’ executive cabinet. This included a reconsideration of agricultural communication and journalism sophomore Mamie Hertel as chief of staff. After failing to be confirmed at the previous meeting due to vague concerns voiced by some senators, Hertel was confirmed unanimously in this special session.
Corbitt Armstrong, a general engineering freshman who debated against Hertel in the last meeting, talked in debate about how he regretted doing so, due to how little information was available at the time.
In addition, a new election commissioner, vice president of University Committees, vice president of Student Services and development commissioner were confirmed at this meeting.
Then the 74th Session met for their final time, hearing a speech by President and CEO of the Association of Former Students Porter Garner, Class of 1979. Garner spoke on the importance of the Aggie Network and its impact on the university.
“There is not a greater resource for Texas A&M than the Aggie Network,” Garner said. “It is the most powerful and prominent resource at this university.”
Garner said current and former students are the most important stakeholder group in this university, as professors will leave the university but former students are always former students.
After this, the 74th Session wrapped up with the final committee reports from the committee chairs. The chairs said this session has been unique, with the issues regarding The Battalion, Fish Camp and Draggieland, as well as the changes coming from the MGT report and the Path Forward. Their favorite pieces of legislation included the Hindu Aggie Resolution.
Following this, the 75th Session began the meeting, hearing their first piece of legislation. Titled the Summer Session Reformation Act, it planned to change how the Student Senate meets over the summer and who can call meetings. This piece of legislation will be voted on at the next meeting in June.
Then, the meeting moved into elections of new committee chairs. Two of the three vacancies were filled at this meeting.
The first election was for Academic Affairs Committee chair. Angelina Baltazar, a biomedical engineering sophomore, and Karime Ramos, a political science sophomore, ran for this position on a similar platform, wanting to increase access to academic resources for students.
Baltazar was elected by a margin of 31-22.
Following this, the Student Services Committee chair was elected. Graham Wolfe, a political science sophomore, and Kevin Pierce, a general engineering and political science freshman, ran for this role. Wolfe had previously lost the election for pro tempore of the Student Senate.
Pierce said the current work that he has done in Student Services includes trying to get more lighting and security cameras across campus and near dorms. Pierce also talked about his future plans to work to get Counseling & Psychological Services, or CAPS, more funding and the Corps of Cadets escort service more utilized.
Wolfe said he wants better funding for CAPS, as well as more parking access across campus. Wolfe was elected by a vote of 29-21.
With this, the 75th Session of the Student Senate adjourned for the summer. They plan to meet virtually once a month during this time.
