UGBC’s Student Assembly nominated and confirmed members to their new roles in the organization during its first meeting of the academic year on Tuesday.
Julia Spagnola, UGBC vice president and MCAS ’23, welcomed the committee and emphasized the honor and rules of being elected to the committee.
“It’s a great and rewarding experience,” Spagnola said. “I think our big expectations this year are presence, patience, passion, [and] persistence.”
Spagnola commenced the nominations and confirmation votes, starting with Thomas Cho, MCAS ’25, who will serve as the SA representative for the AHANA+ Leadership Council for the 2022–23 academic year.
The SA confirmed Buck Popolo, CSOM ’25, as the SA representative for the GLBTQ+ Leadership Council. Jonah Kotzen, MCAS ’24, was confirmed as the Council for Students with Disabilities’ SA representative and as the parliamentarian of the SA.
The SA approved Benjamin Maxwell, MCAS ’23, as the president pro tempore of the SA.
The assembly then confirmed Katherine Garrigan, MCAS ’25, as the SA representative for the Montserrat Coalition. Dhairya Dhamani, CSOM ’24, was confirmed as the international student SA representative.
Benedita Zalabantu, MCAS ’25, was confirmed as the first generation representative.
Spagnola then discussed committee placements for the year, including academic affairs, community relations, intersectionality, and student life.
Ellie Rogowski, CSOM ’24, was nominated and confirmed as the committee chair of the Academic Affairs Committee; Joshua Golden, MCAS ’25, as the Community Relations Committee chair; Kotzen as the Intersectionality Committee chair; and Thompson Penn, CSOM ’25, as the Student Life Committee chair.
Director of Finance Andy Bonilla, CSOM ’23, later presented small changes to UBGC’s budget, including potentially limiting Ice Jam to an event that only occurs every three to four years due to a lack of success last year.
UGBC’s first general body meeting will be Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in 245 Beacon 107 featuring Vice President of Student Affairs Shawna Cooper-Whitehead.
“General body meetings will be less updates and more workshops, for example we may have BC Dining speak,” said UGBC President Lubens Benjamin, CSOM ’23. “[Meetings] will hopefully be more engaging.”
