The Undergraduate Student Congress elected new officers, appointed Superior Court justices, presented the Rod Jahromi Award and created a pilot program for registered student organizations at its Tuesday evening meeting.
Presenting the Rod Jahromi Award
The Rod Jahromi Award recognizes an outstanding member of Congress, and this year, it is being awarded to Assoc. Hudson Haskins. Haskins was chosen by the chair, vice chair and secretary, and will receive a monetary award.
Chair Abby Halsey-Kraus said Haskins is graceful and humble and always made her feel like she was making a difference. Haskins is chair of the campus outreach, safety and concerns committee.
The award is named for OU alum Rod Jahromi, who serves on the Alumni Advisory Board for the JCPenny Leadership Program at Price College. Jahromi is a former member of the Undergraduate Student Congress who wanted to recognize outstanding students.
Electing the chair
Rep. Hope Rhoads and Rep. Caleb Robinson are the nominees for Student Government Association chair.
Rep. Jacob Schonfield, who nominated Rhoads, said she is authentic, motivated and supportive of those around her, and he is confident she would make an excellent chair.
“(She) genuinely cares about her peers and this university,” Schonfield said.
Rhoads is human diversity chair and co-chair of Crimson Leadership Association.
Rhoads’ platform is called HOPE, which stands for helping build connections, optimizing outreach, passing purposeful bills and engaging the body.
Rhoads said she hopes to hold SGA funding request workshops for registered student organizations to build connections, increase face-to-face connections with students by visiting general education courses, host bill writing workshops and meet with new members of Congress.
“I encourage you to not only HOPE, but vote for a better Congress,” Hope said.
Rep. Marilou Bento, who nominated Robinson, said he is dedicated, caring and curious.
Robinson is currently university policy chair and has previously served as congressional administration vice chair.
“This is a busy position, and he has the necessary experience,” Bento said.
Robinson’s platform is called TEAM, which stands for transparency, empowering you, active engagement and maximizing opportunity.
Robinson said he wants the student body to be aware of what Congress is doing, establish a new committee to work on recruitment and retention, have a diverse student body and visit courses to engage with students.
“Please join me in letting me lead this wonderful TEAM,” Robinson said.
Rep. Shrey Kathuria asked both nominees how they plan to promote diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Robinson said he wants to meet with multicultural registered student organizations every semester to increase communication between Congress and registered student organizations and attend to students' needs. He said he has connections at the Oklahoma State Capitol and wants to lobby for DEI policies in Oklahoma.
Rhoads said she also wants to meet with multicultural organizations and encourage them to submit concerns to the campus concern link. She also said she wants to lobby for DEI.
When asked about why they are suitable for this position, Rhoads said she is passionate, optimistic and social. Robinson said he is driven and knowledgeable of SGA’s governing documents.
“Whenever I touch something, I will chase after it until I have it,” Robinson said.
Both candidates were asked how they will reach students in the business district which no students ran for last year.
Rhoads said she will make an effort to get to know constituents in every college to encourage more representation across campus.
Robinson said no business students ran for congress last session, and he wants to connect with the Finance Student Association.
When asked about their legislation experience, both candidates said they have lots of experience writing and editing bills and want to ensure congress members know how to write legislation.
Rep. Hudson Harris asked how the nominees will encourage students to join SGA and engage with members.
Rhoads said she wants to promote SGA to incoming freshmen at Camp Crimson and increase retention by hosting one-on-one meetings with new members.
Robinson said he wants to improve tabling efforts by intentionally reaching students and retaining members of Crimson Leadership Association.
Assoc. Carter Strickland, director of the interior, asked the nominees what SGA’s purpose and mission is and how they plan to advocate for it.
Robinson said SGA “is wholly dedicated to making your life as a student better.”
He also said he wants to promote the diversity and success of SGA initiatives.
Rhoads said the Undergraduate Student Congress is the legislative body, but SGA has many other branches that all work together.
Rep. Michael Reynolds asked the nominees what qualities they admire in their opponent.
Robinson said he admires Rhoads’ organization and kind personality.
“I personally wish that I could be that bubbly,” Robinson said.
Rhoads said Robinson is dedicated and talented at writing legislation.
“He cares so much about SGA, and I really respect him,” Rhoads said.
Congress entered an executive session to deliberate, in which the nominees and any non-essential personnel must leave the room.
With a roll call vote, Hope Rhoads is elected chair. Rhoads will act as chair for the rest of the meeting.
Electing the vice chair
Assoc. Rylee Houston is the nominee for vice chair. She is running uncontested.
Bento, who nominated Houston, said she is experienced and will build community in congress.
“She will continue to motivate the body and help as achieve success,” Bento said.
Houston currently serves as chair of the sustainability committee, and has been a member of Congress for four years.
Houston said she is double majoring in professional writing and letters, minoring in political science and is a part of the OU debate team.
She said her main goal is to make Congress a “supportive and fun” community.
Houston’s platform is called ROOTS, which stands for registered student organization communication, outreach through social media, organizing Congress events and together we can grow.
She said she wants to host events to ensure no member of Congress feels alienated.
Rep. Aaron Gilson-Bond asked how the nominee would connect with disengaged associates.
Houston said she remembers feeling powerless as an associate so she wants to interact and engage with them more to feel supported.
“(I want to) make them feel like Congress isn’t just something they have to come to, but something that they can genuinely enjoy and be proud to be a part of,” she said.
Rep. Noah Coats asked how the nominee would organize the new member orientation for SGA members.
Houston said she wants to organize a fun and engaging orientation that is welcoming to students.
Kathuria asked if the nominee plans to attend committee meetings weekly the way current Vice Chair Amelia Landry does.
“I genuinely enjoy seeing what committees do,” she said. “I would want to attend as many meetings as possible.”
When asked about how she would run the Undergraduate Student Congress Instagram, Houston said she would create a content calendar and promote posts from registered student organizations.
Congress entered an executive session to deliberate.
With a roll call vote of 19-0-0, Rylee Houston is elected vice chair. Houston will act as vice chair for the rest of the meeting.
Electing the secretary
Reps. Chloe Harris and Jacob Schonfield are the nominees for secretary.
Gilson-Bond, who nominated Harris, said she takes on each challenge that comes her way.
Harris is currently secretary of the sustainability committee. She is an English major on the pre-law track and has been a member of Congress for two years.
Harris’ platform is called TREAT, which stands for transparency, regularity, efficiency, accountability and thoroughness.
She said she wants to create a shared document with all legislation and send out the minutes from a meeting more quickly. Harris said she has never missed a general body meeting as a representative.
“Make it easier for you and treat yourself by voting for me,” Harris said.
Rep. Elizabeth Duncan, who nominated Schonfield, said he is knowledgeable, dedicated and compassionate.
“I am confident he’ll bring fresh perspectives and exceptional leadership to our organization,” Duncan said.
Schonfield currently serves as secretary for the ways and means committee. Notably, Duncan said he took minutes for an 11-hour-long committee meeting.
Schonfield said he is familiar with administrative tasks because of his involvement with the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL), a student-run mock government that replicates all three branches of the state government of Oklahoma. He served as Speaker of the House for the 2024 spring OIL session.
He said he wants to record meetings to post verbatim minutes, communicate well and be available to Congress members.
When asked by SGA President Caden Glasscock if they like typing, the nominees affirmed their love for it. Schonfield says he types at 60 words per minute, and Harris said she types at 68 words per minute.
Assoc. Kendall Cousins asked the nominees what they believe the most important role of the secretary is, aside from taking meeting minutes.
Schonfield said the administrative roles of secretary interest him, and he would want to pass legislation.
Harris said as secretary it is important to make connections with members and hold them accountable.
Kathuria asked how the nominees would hold members accountable in their attendance of meetings.
Schonfield said he would encourage attendance but be forgiving because Congress members are also students.
Harris said she plans to reach out to every member to meet with them and encourage engagement.
Congress entered an executive session to deliberate.
With a roll call vote, Harris is elected secretary. Harris will serve as secretary for the rest of the meeting.
Superior Court appointments
The April 2024 Superior Court Act seeks to appoint four justices to the Superior Court. The prospective justices are Tucker Dunn, Catalina Emond, Jack Sweet and Randi Wright.
Rep. Maddy Cantrell, the congressional administration chair, said that these four nominees were given a recommendation of do pass, which means the congressional administration committee recommends that Congress approves them.
Emmaleigh Ridenour, the fifth prospective justice, was not given a recommendation. Ridenour was not present at the congressional administration meeting, Cantrell said.
The SGA officers decided to table Ridenour’s appointment until the next session because Ridenour was not present at the meeting.
Prospective justices are selected by a panel made up of the SGA President, the Chair of Graduate Student Senate, the Chair of Undergraduate Student Congress, the SGA General Counsel, according to the Code Annotated.
If appointed, the justices would begin their terms in the fall. According to the SGA Constitution, justices serve one year terms.
Kathuria asked each prospective justice to introduce themselves.
Tucker Dunn said he was formerly the chair of congressional administration. He is currently earning a masters in finance and is pre-law.
Randi Wright is an international studies and letters major. She is involved with the OU mock trial, the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature and Students for Local Action.
Catalina Edmond is majoring in sociology and minoring in social justice and sociology. She is also part of the Honors College.
Jack Sweet is a law student and is involved in multiple honor societies.
When asked if they were familiar with SGA’s governing documents, each nominee said they have reviewed the governing documents and are familiar with them.
Strickland asked the nominees how they will work with the other branches of SGA.
Dunn said that the Superior Court at Oklahoma State University engages in regular events with OU law students, and he thinks that would benefit OU’s Superior Court.
Sweet agreed with Dunn and said spending time with other law students has been beneficial to him.
Wright said there is a lot of disconnect between OU law and OU’s main campus, and she hopes such events would bridge that.
The act passes with a roll call vote of 20-0-0.
Summer pay for SGA leaders
The Summer Pay for SGA Leaders Act would secure pay for SGA leaders who work over the summer, at the discretion of Student Affairs employees.
Currently, only the SGA president receives pay over the summer, according to the Code Annotated. This act would amend this policy to include all officers.
The author, Chief of Staff Ellie Wolthuis, said that a Student Affairs employee would check in on the officers to ensure they are working and attending office hours over the summer.
Wolthuis also said officers do important work over the summer, including planning and executing the SEC Exchange. The SEC Exchange is a conference of SGA leaders from SEC schools that will be hosted at OU this summer.
The act passes with a roll call vote of 20-0-0.
Creating a pilot program to allocate space
The Conoco Student Leadership Center Pilot Program Act of 2024 seeks to create a pilot program to allocate space among registered student organizations in the Conoco Student Leadership Center.
The proposed program would allow organizations to reserve times online to use spaces in the Conoco. No organization would be allotted a permanent, individual space.
The program’s aim would be to optimize space in the Conoco and make it accessible to organizations. After it has gone into effect, the proposed program would be evaluated by the space allocation committee.
Glasscock, the author, said the branches of SGA have been working on this bill all semester.
“(This program seeks) to make all these office spaces on the second and third floor reservable spaces for all 500 plus (registered student organizations),” Glasscock said.
Halsey-Kraus said, if implemented, the pilot program would occur for the next academic year and be evaluated at the end of the year.
“That’s ultimately what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to increase foot traffic in the Conoco,” Halsey-Kraus said.
The act passes with a roll call vote of 17-0-0. Three members of the body left during the meeting.
Modifying the election schedule
The Election Schedule Act proposes a modification to the SGA Bylaws to number congress seats and modify the election schedule.
If the act is passed, half of a district’s seats would be up for election in the fall, and the other half in the spring. The act would not remove any representatives currently serving.
Gilson-Bond, the author, said a similar bill failed last semester, but he still believed it was an important piece of legislation to pass.
Cantrell, the co-author, said Congress seats would be numbered one through 42 to “evenly distribute seats between fall and spring elections.”
“So the goal is so that we have a balanced cycle of seats up for election so we have a consistent amount of people—new people—running for offices,” Cantrell said. “I genuinely think that this bill provides for there to be more space for Congress to get new members engaged.”
Vice Chair Emeritus Landry asked how people will know about vacant seats.
Cantrell said both tabling to reach students and communicating internally will be important in filling those seats.
When asked about member retention, Gilson-Bond said that this change would incentivize people to run because it provides for a second chance after a loss.
Kathuria called for debate and multiple members objected. A roll call vote of 16-3-0 determined there would not be debate.
Kathuria motioned to table the bill, but Rhoads had already entered the roll call vote.
Kathuria motioned to suspend the rules, but no member seconded the motion. The rules will not be suspended.
The act passes with a roll call vote of 18-1-0. Kathuria voted against the act.
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure.
