After two contentious semesters, Santa Fe College Student Senate enjoyed an uneventful summer.
While few resolutions were passed, the chamber’s leadership team changed, and the Senate presidential position switched between three people.
Patriel Stapleton, who had won the election for Senate president at the last Spring Senate meeting, was forced to resign after Chief Justice Elana Gold determined the election was illegitimate due to procedure violation.
Stapleton then ran for re-election against former parliamentarian Andy Alvarez in a chamber far smaller than during the previous election.
Unlike his previous run for president in the Spring, in which few senators voted for him and many questioned his enthusiasm for the position, Alvarez won the re-election.
Many senators praised Alvarez’s leadership and said he helped Senate move along smoothly as the chamber brought in and elected new members into its leadership team.
However, Alvarez stepped down after several weeks into the Summer term to accept a job offer, which left the Senate president seat empty once more.
For the third time in two semesters, elections were held and Senator Carol Daugherty was elected.
Despite the changing presidents, the new pro tempore Matthew Pearson said the Summer semester was still successful as it provided a good time for the new leadership team to bond as they began to prepare for the more hectic Fall semester.
"I feel like our leadership team here really just wants to serve this body and really wants to serve Senate and the general Student Body and make this a really rewarding place," Pearson said, his words echoing those of the Student Body president.
In a video message shown during Friday’s convocation, Student Body President Conor Flynn also said the new leadership in Student Government and Senate will aim to serve students this Fall.
"On behalf of the entire Student Government, we are here to serve you, our students and the community," Flynn said.
