Nolan Davis, formerly a special assistant to NIU President John Peters, was named the new faculty adviser to the Student Association Monday afternoon.

Davis replaces former advisers Rick Clark, director of the Office University Programming and Activities, and Bertrand Simpson, associate director of UP&A.

“They’ve worked hard and did the best job they can,” Davis said.

The changes take supervision of the SA from the UP&A office and places the office directly under the Office of Student Affairs. In his new role, Davis will serve as both assistant to vice president of Student Affairs Brian Hemphill and as the SA advisor.

Davis said his goal for the SA will be to “create more transition from year to year,” since there is much student turnover in the SA positions.

He also said he wants to build a better relationship between students and the services that Hemphill’s office provides.

Davis was elected as the NIU Student Trustee for 1999 to 2000. He will have a small office in the SA office, located in the Campus Life Building, Suite 180.

While pursuing a post-graduate degree at NIU, Davis served several different roles within the SA.

“I love being in student leadership,” Davis said. He also served in the student government at the Western Carolina University and Northeastern Illinois University while an undergraduate.

Clark said Hemphill explained why the changes were taking place.

“We are not upset,” Clark said. “This is a very good thing. We can’t devote all the time it takes.”

Both Clark and and Simpson will retain their duties in the UP&A office.

“On other university campuses, student affairs offices are often advised out of the student affairs vice president’s office,” Clark said.

The change did not come as a big surprise to Allison Thompson, public affairs director for the SA.

“Student Affairs and the Student Association do a lot of the same things, so it seems natural,” Thompson said.

Both Clark and Simpson said that changes to the faculty appointment of student-run organizations is not unusual.

“We will still talk to them; we are not cutting them off,” Simpson said. “But it’s going to take some getting used to.”

Although there are changes being made at the faculty level to the SA, Clark said he does not see any changes in how the student government runs.

Assistant Campus Editor Nick Swedberg contributed to this article.