The Undergraduate Student Congress recognized new members, named committee chairs and appointed the chief of staff at its Tuesday evening meeting.
Impeachment eligibility clarification
The news: The Impeachment Eligibility Clarification Act of 2025 would amend the SGA Constitution to clarify the right of the Legislative Branch to impeach and remove members of the presidential staff. This act would update the Code Annotated to match the Constitution.
The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress voted to table this bill for a later meeting.
Appointing new members
The news: The Session XIII General Application Appointment Act appointed 20 students as associates and appointed representatives to the following districts: Owen Cunningham to Arts and Sciences District, Thomas Richardson to Journalism and Mass Communications District and Ayden Pruitt and Belia Benitez Mendoza to Business District. An amendment to the bill removed proposed associates Grace Bakare and Seth Nix from appointment.
What they’re saying: Rep. Kyle Martin, author of the bill, said the appointees were selected through the general application and chosen by himself and congressional leadership.
“We decided on who had overall the best application, both from the application and the interview and that's what we have,” Martin said.
The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 31-0-0.
The Undergraduate Congress swore in new representatives and associates on Jan. 21 at its Tuesday evening meeting.
Appointing chief of staff
The news: The Chief of Staff Appointment Act of 2025 appointed Ellie Wolthuis as the chief of staff to the executive cabinet for the Strickland-Dunlap administration. Wolthuis previously served in the same role for the Glasscock-Mortazavi administration.
What they’re saying: SGA President Carter Strickland, who authored the bill, referenced Wolthuis’ past experience as external affairs chair and chief of staff last year, saying she is a very qualified leader.
“Ellie, without a doubt, is, I think, the gem of SGA,” said Strickland. “She is a dedicated member of this government and pours her heart and soul into everything she does.”
Wolthuis said she intends to build upon the relationships she built during the previous administration, as well as have a more hands-on relationship with her fellow executive branch members.
“I know that we are planning on reaching out to a lot more (registered student organizations) and getting input from all different areas of campus, making sure that every student's voice is heard,” Wolthuis said.
The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 35-0-0. This vote included the votes of the newly appointed congress members
Appointing committee chairs
The news: The Session XIII Committee Chair Appointment Act assigned the following as the chairs of their respective committees: Syed Aslam to Campus Outreach, Safety, and Concerns, Kyle Martin to Congressional Administration, Marilou Bento to External Affairs, Aniketh Koneru to Human Diversity, Aaron Gilson-Bond to Sustainability, Caleb Robinson to University Policy and Jacob Schonfield to Ways and Means.
What they’re saying: Chair Hope Rhoads, who authored the bill, said she stands by these appointees, many of whom previously held such positions.
“I really believe in our appointees. I think they'll do a really great job,” Rhoads said.
The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 35-0-0.
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure.
