Adrian Suarez Avila/ Staff Writer
On Monday, June 2, SGA-MMC’s senators met for the first general meeting of the semester to confirm the newly appointed executive cabinet officers. They will advise the president in making her decisions and forward the mission of the Student Government Association throughout the academic year.
Along with an expression of enthusiasm to assume their positions, the cabinet appointees each delivered a brief speech to the senators, explaining their qualifications and ideas for their respective positions.
“The intern program is at the heart of SGA,” said Daniela Bernal, junior mechanical engineering and physics double-major and newly confirmed intern coordinator. “I want interns to grow as leaders and learn what it’s like to write a bill, or plan an event.”
Of particular importance to Bernal is attracting STEM majors into the intern program, which she believes can do more to reach out to those types of students.
Others seek to develop more effective avenues of communication.
“I want to effectively use Student Media to engage the students,” said Nathalie De Almagro, one of the two newly confirmed marketing coordinators. “This can be used as an accountability tool to ensure that [the officers] are serving the students.”
Although some positions require the presence of a single officer, some, such as deputy chief-of-staff, and marketing and special projects coordinators, require that two students work in conjunction to complete the tasks demanded by their position.
The position for greek life coordinator was removed from the list for the executive cabinet, according to SGA-MMC’s president, Alexis Calatayud.
“We weighed in the decision carefully and decided that it would be best to hold off on appointing someone for the position at the moment,” Calatayud said.
Upon individually delivering their speeches and answering inquiries from senators interested in learning more about their specific plans to fulfill their duties, the cabinet appointees awaited the votes of the present senators.
The senators confirmed all of the Executive Cabinet appointees unanimously.
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Daniela Bernal: Intern Coordinator
Nathalie De Almagro: Marketing Coordinator
Michelle Garcia: Disability Coordinator
Breanna Gray: Student Development Coordinator
Daniel Irigoyen: Student Outreach Coordinator
Victoria Junkins: Deputy Chief-of-Staff
Kevin Nicolla: Student Advancement Coordinator
Desmond Petit: Special Projects Coordinator
Victor Javier Rodriguez: Student Life Coordinator
Daniella Ruiz: Marketing Coordinator
Adrian Ulloa: Deputy Chief-of-Staff
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Despite the fact that the majority of the executive cabinet officers were confirmed, six were absent from the meeting and are awaiting confirmation by the senators.
Among the absent officers were Mary Corbin, Cory Fairfeild, Alanna Lopez, Dayra Carvajal, Jonathan Riveras, and Lillie Wilson for the positions of chief-of-staff, sustainability, special projects, governmental relations, and lobbying coordinators, and comptroller, respectively.
If present, they are to be confirmed in the next Senate meeting on Monday, June 9.
-news@fiusm.com