On Monday, the new members of the 2019-2020 SGA Senate were elected. Voting started Monday morning online and in-person at certain poll locations. The executive board positions and several college senator positions were up for election. Last week, the Executive Board candidates held a debate where they laid out their platforms and goals for the upcoming year.

The incoming executive board is headed by President-elect Maleah Fallahi, VP of Academic Affairs Jordan Glassman, Vice President of Communications and Internal Affairs-elect Robbie Lasky, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion-elect Shreya Dash, Vice President of Finance-elect Alhan Sayyed, Vice President of International Affairs-elect Zainab Alramadhan and Vice President for Student Organizations-elect Ella Dotson.

Senator seats for the College of Arts and Sciences, the College for Public Health and Social Justice, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Parks College, Chaifetz School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Nursing and the School of Professional Studies, as well as the senate seat representing Commuter students, were also filled.

This election season was a dramatic one, with lots of campaigning and publicity surrounding the election. Many students felt the campaigning was far more aggressive this year than in years prior.

Senior Brenna Salen said, “This campaign season became contentious and that comes from the candidates, not their constituents.”

Many students expressed mixed reactions about the future of SGA.

Other students were far more optimistic and hopeful, saying that they would like to see the positive work of this year’s SGA, under President Katlyn Martin, continue.

“The current SGA administration has done a lot more than I’ve seen in the past, especially with Katlyn Martin helping to form the Jesuit Student Government Alliance,” said senior Claire Cunningham. “Hopefully this election will bring in an era of student leaders that are less interested in their own resumes and are more interested in achieving tangible goals.”

Senior Tommi Poe felt that the new crop of candidates was refreshing.. “Personally, while voting, it was really cool to see lots of younger people running for positions and I am excited to see how that turns out,”she said.