DeKALB — Former Election Commissioner Cass Kamp spoke to the Student Government Association Senate Sunday, urging Senators to redefine the powers of the Election Commissioner position, and to appoint members to the Board of Elections from a diverse group of involvements on campus.

“Certain organizations on campus, specifically Sigma Nu and Phi Sigma Kappa have made up the majority of the Student Government Association,” Kamp said. “I believe this causes major issues to the growth, legitimacy in a shared governance model of the Student Government Association.”

Kamp encouraged Senators to not discount candidates based on their Greek life affiliations, but to appoint candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and involvements on campus. 

“When we have the same groups that are in charge of all of the different ways that we can vote or create action on campus, that’s just a conflict of interest in my opinion,” Kamp said. 

Kamp also criticized the role of election commissioner, who is responsible for the organization of all student elections, and encouraged the SGA to consider reconfiguring the position’s powers.

The election commissioner has a number of duties outlined in the bylaws involved in overseeing the election process.

“The Election Commissioner shall have responsibility for hiring, supervising, and processing payment for all poll workers,” according to the SGA bylaws. 

The bylaws also outline that “the Election Commissioner shall have the authority to issue sanctions to candidates, their supporter(s), or any other person interfering with an election.”

Other business

Vann Reamer, a senior health sciences major, was appointed as director of Greek Life. Reamer discussed his goals of being involved in all aspects of SGA.

“Aside from monthly meetings with each council president, I will attend all campus life committee meetings and prepare at least one event on all councils,” Reamer said.

The Senate also unanimously approved to officially recognize the Future Educators as an official SGA student organization.

“The organization is about helping students who are seeking teacher licensure,” said Clayton Schopfer, chairperson for the Organization Oversight Committee. 

The Senate also voted to officially recognize the Finance Student Advisory Board as a student organization. 

The Finance Student Advisory Board acts as a liaison between the finance department and finance students, as well as hosting passport events, which business and finance majors are required to attend. 

The Senate approved the organization with 14 in favor, one opposed and one abstaining.

The Senate had to table the motion to select the Spring 2022 Board of Elections for the Nov. 21 meeting, as there were only four accepted nominees, and the board consists of five members and two alternates who must be appointed at the same time. 

Positions on the Board of Elections are open to all students, regardless of their current involvement in SGA, so long as they are at the meeting to accept their nominations.