DeKALB – Cassandra Kamp, senior psychology and rehabilitation and disability services major, was unanimously confirmed as the Student Government Association’s election commissioner. SGA Senator Clayton Schopfer was also confirmed as the sergeant-at-arms Sunday at the virtual SGA meeting.

The duties of the election commissioner are to hold candidate meetings for the Senate and executive elections, meet with the board of elections regularly, hold debates for the candidates, administer the elections and announce the election results, Kamp said. 

Kamp was involved in Active Minds, Deaf Pride, the Honors Program and SGA in the past as a Senator and deputy speaker.

“For all four years of my attendance at NIU, leadership, teamwork and peer mentorship have been the key traits I have learned throughout my involvement in the NIU community,” Kamp said. 

Senator Michael Verlinsky ran for the position of election commissioner in the fall but was denied in a vote of five in favor, six against, and six abstentions, according to a Nov. 23 Northern Star article. Because of this, the vote for the new election commissioner was delayed until the spring.

“[Kamp] has really thought out how to conduct this election, and has already thought through who she should connect with to make this election one that reaches many people, as well as encourages diversity,” SGA Senator Jacob Burg said. “Though she does seem busy, I am confident that she can do the job well considering her past experiences with her involvement with SGA.”

With another unanimous vote, Schopfer was confirmed as the sergeant-at-arms. The sergeant-at-arms is a leadership position within the Senate, said Senate Speaker Brad Beyer. 

“I will be making sure that all rules and conduct are being followed by senators; making sure that the chat is being used properly and only for SGA members; making sure everyone is speaking in turn; things of that nature,” Schopfer said.

Schopfer said he has plenty of experience in SGA, such as being a director of community service and serving on the board of elections.

“For character reference, I have worked with [Schopfer] personally on a couple of things because I’ve been in SGA just about the same amount of time as he has, so we’ve kind of learned together,” Deputy Speaker Dallas Douglass said. “I think he’s a great guy – he’s well suited for this position. He is respectful, but he is no-nonsense when he needs to be.”