DeKALB – The Student Government Association Senate unanimously confirmed Brenna McConnell, sophomore finance major with a marketing minor, as an SGA Supreme Court justice.

Supreme court justices in SGA operate similarly to the federal Supreme Court, McConnell said. Whenever there is a gray area or a case the Senate moves up, the supreme court hears it. They do not meet as frequently as the Senate.

McConnell is very involved but said her experiences led her to be able to separate her personal life and work-life very well.

“I’m very passionate about SGA’s mission statement, which is that not only every student is heard, but heard fairly,” McConnell said. “With current events, I think it’s so, so important that biases are left at the door, and you listen to the facts, hear each person, and you don’t judge them before you hear all the facts.”

Other Business

The chess club was recognized by SGA as an official organization  Sunday. 

The chess club has seven members, all freshmen, said Jacob Jovanovich, a representative for chess club. The club meets on Microsoft Teams and plays on an app, chess.com.

“I played some chess in high school and I grew up playing chess with my family, nothing too crazy,” Jovanovich said. “But, after COVID-19 happened, I’ve been quarantined for a long time, and chess wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. Then, I watched Queen’s Gambit and rekindled my desire to play chess again.”

The Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences was also recognized as an official organization  Sunday.

Their mission statement is to promote the best practices and advances in operations research, management sciences and analytics to improve operational processes, decision making and outcomes, secretary Nyera Hayes said. This is done through conference competitions, networking communities and professional development services.

“Just like any organization that is nationally recognized, we have a career fair where people can come out from all campuses across the country, and try to get a job,” Hayes said. 

The club welcomes any student, graduate or undergraduate because every discipline has research, Hayes said.