Treasurer gives first report, senate fills more seats

By Kierra Frazier

The Student Association Senate continued to fill senator positions and SA Treasurer Devohn Hall gave his first executive report at Sunday night’s meeting.

All cabinet and executive members must report to the Senate at least once a month, according to the SA bylaws.

Hall, who was elected treasurer in March, said he has been conducting budget workshops for SA-recognized student organizations within the last few weeks so they can receive funding for Fiscal Year 2021.

“There are still around 39 organizations that are recognized and have received funding from past years that didn’t come to any of the workshops, nor have they emailed me back,” Hall said.

Hall said he is emailing each organization separately to set up a private budget meeting so they can receive funding for the next fiscal year.

David Medrano, a junior political science major, and Clayton Schopfer, a freshman political science and Spanish major, were both elected into the Senate at the meeting.

Schopfer said he joined the Senate because he wants to improve the lives of students at the university, as well as learn how the government functions.

He said he would like to join the public affairs committee once elected because advertising the SA is a top priority for him.

“I do know that the Student Association will and can be very impactful and influential,” Schopfer said. “If people are getting involved, that’s the best way we can make a serious change here with the Student Association.”

Medrano is a transfer student and served as a senator within the student government at Wilbur Wright College before coming to NIU. Medrano said being the past secretary and co-founder of the civic engagement committee at Wilbur Wright College he wants to involve more NIU students with the 2020 Presidential elections.

“My goals as a senator would be to work on promoting civic engagement among students and the student population,” Medrano said.

The NIU Doctorate of Physical Therapy Student Association and the NIU Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling were granted full recognition as student organizations.

NIUDPT works to provide ethical, competent physical therapists through the education and training of students to become qualified, professional practitioners of the art and science of physical therapy, according to the NIUDPT Constitution.

Members and officers of the organization must be graduate students to be apart of NIUDPT.

NIUALGBTIC’s goal is to advocate for the voice, equity and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons within the counseling profession and help with professional development, according to the NIUALGBTIC Constitution.

Membership is open to graduate students enrolled in the Masters in Counseling, Counselor Education and Supervision and Rehabilitation Counseling programs or undergraduate students enrolled in counseling courses.