PHOTO BY CANDRA UMUNNA – ARCHIVES
The Executive Vice President of the Student Government Association (SGA) Osato Uzamere announced on Oct. 16 she will graduate in December, leaving her chair open.
After she leaves, SGA must advertise the vacancy and allow applications from any student for at least five business days before Lanier Henson, SGA president, can nominate candidates, according to the organization’s constitution.
The constitution states Henson will then have 10 business days after the vacancy is advertised to make his nominations. If he fails to do so the executive board will nominate a candidate and they must obtain 2/3 of Senate’s approval before assuming the position.
SGA will follow the procedure laid out in the constitution in order to fill the vacancy. However it has not been determined when advertising will begin, according to Henson.
Henson said holding general elections for a new vice president would require hiring and approving election commissioners which could take up to a month.
“It would extend the time frame to fill the vacancy from twelve days to a month plus and we just don’t want that position empty that long,” he said.
Uzamere said she hopes her replacement is nominated from within the organization.
“It will be awesome if the transition happens within SGA,” she said during the government body’s meeting on Oct. 16. “However, it is still up to the committee who will take my position.”
Student Laina Burgess said the decision about the next position holder should involve the entire student body.
“If it’s the Student Government Association then it doesn’t really make sense that students wouldn’t have any say in who’s in charge,” she said.
Kiante Springtte, computer science major, said he does not understand why the process does not involve students more directly.
“I think it’s important that students have some say about what goes on at SGA,” he said.
Uzamere said she expects to take her admission test to medical school, the MCAT, on Jan. 15 before sending applications to school by June 1. She also plans on traveling to Tanzania in May.
Uzamere entered SGA in 2010 as part of the Election Commission, she was a member of the 1913 Society as a student ambassador and was a part of the Liaison Act of 2014 that represents different types of students.
She said she has hopes for the new individual who will assume her position.
“I just want to make sure that when I leave my spot, my position is taken by someone that is very capable and has the same vision that I have for morals, making sure we are never doing anything for selfish ambition,” she said. “Everything completely transparent and completely open.”
