DeKalb | The Student Association Senate unanimously confirmed Jeremy Sanchez as SA treasurer in an emergency Senate meeting Tuesday night.

The Senate held an emergency meeting to fill the vacancy left by former treasurer Darrell Nelson. Nelson resigned Monday evening after being charged with DUI on Sunday morning.

According to a press release, important paperwork needed to be signed by the treasurer that could not wait until the next Senate meeting Sunday night.

This confirmation comes in the midst of elections for the executive officers of the SA, treasurer included. Sanchez was running for the position unopposed.

Sanchez’s confirmation could not wait until after voting in the election ends tomorrow, said Austin Quick, speaker of the Senate.

 “Only the treasurer can sign off on [expenditure sheets],” Quick said. “Some groups on campus have events going on in the next couple of days.”

The only SA officer with authorization to sign expenditure sheets for events held by campus organizations is the treasurer, Quick said; not even the president or vice president has the authority to sign them. Quick said that “four or five” groups have events that need signatures in the next two days.

“The reason we did it was so that student groups weren’t negatively affected by the change,” Quick said.

Before his confirmation, Sanchez had not previously held a position within the SA. He has served as vice president of Interfraternity Council and Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.

“I’m really excited and…grateful for this opportunity,” Sanchez said in a Tuesday night interview. “I’m actually really excited…to get a better understanding of the position within these next five weeks with the current [executives] officers, who will show me the ropes and procedures.”

Under normal circumstances, the incoming treasurer would spend the remainder of the semester being trained by the outgoing treasurer, Quick said.

“I think it’s going to be a transition like any other,” Quick said. “There will be ups and downs.”

Without a treasurer to show Sanchez the ropes, Quick said, it will fall to other members of the SA to help him until he gets the hang of the position.

“A lot of people in the SA will help him succeed,” Quick said. “If he succeeds, we all succeed.”

According to the release, 20 senators were present at the emergency meeting giving the necessary number to have a quorum.

The meeting was held at 7:30 p.m. in the Campus Life Building. Sanchez spoke before the assembled Senate before being confirmed, Quick said.

Nelson was arrested Sunday morning after a DeKalb Police officer pulled him over for making a wide left turn onto Annie Glidden Road and driving on the curb.

According to a DeKalb police report, Nelson blew a .188 on a breathalyzer after a 20-minute observation at the police station. Nelson admitted to drinking one and a half glasses of wine prior to being pulled over. Nelson was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence over .08 and improper lane usage.