While in his third term serving in Student Government’s Student Senate, Access Party Minority Leader Ford Dwyer resigned from his seat Tuesday night.
Dwyer, who served as a Law senator, said he didn’t have any regrets.
“I did a lot of things while I was senator, and some of them were controversial,” he told senators. “I don’t really regret any of it.”
Dwyer said he had to resign because of academic scheduling conflicts. In 2009, he first tried to interview as a candidate for a party, but he was unsuccessful. After losing in three SG elections, he won the next three he ran in. He will graduate in Spring.
“I’m really sad that I have to resign, actually,” Dwyer said. “I’ve really enjoyed a lot about being in Student Government for all these years, but I have to put my career over Student Government at this point.”
As an undergraduate student, Dwyer represented Murphree Area and District D. While in Senate, he said he was proud of his attempts to rename the Reitz Union and how he helped form Access Party.
“That was my happiest moment in Student Government, was seeing Joselin (Padron-Rasines) win the Student Body presidency,” he said. “The students needed a change.”
After he announced his resignation, senators stood and applauded.
Impact Party Majority Leader Wayne Selogy told senators he first met Dwyer in high school. He thanked Dwyer for working with him.
“I can’t wait to have a beer with you when you’re a lawyer,” Selogy said.
During Senate, senators unanimously approved $1,0015.13 for the First Generation Organization, which supports first-generation UF students, and $868.90 for the Japanese Student Association.
They also approved an annual resolution honoring UF students who recently died.
“It’s just always been one of the things Student Government wants to sponsor in the sense that every Gator is important to the university,” said Judiciary Chairman Trevor Schaettle, who authored the bill.
Minority Leader Ford Dwyer delivers a final speech to Student Senate in the Reitz Union on Tuesday evening. Dwyer is resigning his seat as senator to focus on his law-school studies next semester.
