SGA hosts second meeting of the year: Here’s what happened

  The Student Government Association Senate held its second meeting of the year on Sept. 15. within its chambers. After the opening remarks of the meeting, two nominees for Directors for the First Year Council of the UMKC Student Government presented themselves and answered questions from the senate.

  Abreham Mesfin, sophomore in electrical and computer engineering, was the first nominee to speak.

  “What makes this position so unique is the opportunity to lay down the foundation of student government and leadership across campus,” Mesfin said. “I have got a big hope that this council will pave the way for amazing new leaders to arise. I believe UMKC has the students already, they just need the right environment and guidance to shine.”

  Following Mesfin’s remarks, the second nominee, Olivia Christensen, senior in history and French language and literature, presented as well. 

  Mesfin and Christensen were both confirmed by the senate and will officially serve as the new Directors of the First Year Council of the UMKC Student Government. 

  “As the new Co Director of the First Year Council, I will help prepare first year students to step into leadership roles across campus, including SGA,” Christensen said. “Abreham and I have some solid ideas for this semester, and we are ready to hit the ground running. UMKC has given me many opportunities to grow, and I am honored to train the next generation of student leaders.”

  Following the newly confirmed Directors, the senate sat through nominee presentations for positions in Associate Justices of the Supreme Court. 

  The nominees were the following: Mia Forney, Hayley Prins, Will Workcuff, and Kaitlyn Lavery. 

  All four nominees were confirmed and will now serve as Associate Justices of the Supreme Court for The SGA. 

  Prior to the confirmations, UMKC student body president, Justice Horn, had the opportunity to address and provide an update on what he’s been up to these past couple of weeks.

  Horn discussed an alumni organization called MADE MOBB and how a former student is having another collection of theirs rolled out on Sept. 26. This will be the third collaboration between UMKC and MADE MOBB.

  Horn provided a letter from his office condemning what is happening at the UM system and this system stepping in to cancel the “Black To School” event for being exclusionary in their eyes, despite him feeling the system has exhibited similar exclusion to other organizations in the past.

  “I was very concerned when they were saying an event was being non-inclusive and then they did that directly with another organization, it’s hypocritical,” Horn said.

  To conclude his address, Horn, highlighted September as Self-Care Awareness Month and urged all students to make use of the resources provided. Also, he called for students to continue to remain informed on the redistricting currently happening in Missouri. He also offered congratulations to the UMKC Accessibility Student Council for being officially chartered.

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