The Student Government Association (SGA) has introduced a new cabinet to represent diverse student groups and address campus-wide issues. The initiative, led by SGA President Matthew Albrecht, is designed to enhance communication between the executive board and underrepresented student populations, including athletes, women with children, students with disabilities and commuter students.
The new cabinet is an addition to work with the executive board. The executive board consists of five elected offices. According to Albrecht, the cabinet addresses the need for a broader representation of student concerns.
“We want to get representation from a further group of students that are outside of our small, little electorate of the people that we know,” Albrecht said.
This year’s cabinet consists of 13 members, each representing a specific student demographic or group. Representatives were elected within their respective groups or appointed by coordinators. The cabinet includes class presidents, representatives from the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and other student groups.
“There’s only five of us on the board. We can’t know everything that is happening on the campus that needs to be fixed. We just can’t know,” Albrecht explained.
The initiative has already begun to make an impact. In its first meeting, the cabinet has been given the role of reviewing and contributing to revisions of the student government constitution, which members will vote on in the coming weeks.
While voting on major SGA policy decisions remains the responsibility of the executive board, cabinet members provide valuable input, Albrecht said. They will vote on key issues like constitutional changes and student recommendations.
Albrecht emphasized the cabinet’s cooperative nature, describing the relationship as a “two-way street.” He noted that the cabinet helps address student concerns and aids in disseminating important information to their respective groups.
“We’re looking for a team effort where they help us, and we do our best to help them,” he said.
As for the cabinet’s future, Albrecht sees potential for further expansion and improvement. “I think it’s a great start, but there’s always room for more representation,” he said, noting that any student group interested in being part of the cabinet should reach out to him or other members of the SGA.
The new cabinet reflects the SGA’s commitment to addressing the diverse needs of the student body while fostering collaboration between various groups. As the academic year progresses, SGA members hope the cabinet will continue to be a valuable resource for tackling student issues and improving campus life.
One of the representatives, Kassandra Figueroa, serves as the voice for women in the Women with Children program. Figueroa is enthusiastic about joining the new cabinet.
“I’m very vocal, so I know I can make some changes for the women in our program. So it’s very important for us to have a voice,” Figueroa said.
The first SGA meeting with the cabinet encouraged teamwork and collaboration. Both parties in SGA have their own set of duties and responsibilities. Figueroa also emphasized the importance of having diverse viewpoints in the SGA, noting that the cabinet includes many student representatives.
“It’s people that are like us who are women with kids in the program. It’s people that are commuters. It’s just like a group of people actually living our position,” Figueroa added.
The cabinet is a conduit for sharing information between the executive board and the broader student body. It brings forward issues that require SGA attention.
“Being able to help them and work on issues that revolve around them. But also, helping us in getting the word out for certain things,” Albrecht explained.
The cabinet plays a significant role in reviewing and contributing to revisions of the student government constitution, which they will vote on in the coming weeks. While voting on major SGA policy decisions remains the responsibility of the executive board, the cabinet members provide valuable input when the executive board meets with the Board of Trustees. They will vote on key issues like constitutional changes and student recommendations.
“I felt out of place at first, but when they started asking questions to every group that was there, I felt more comfortable and wanted to speak up,” Figueroa said.
Albrecht highlighted how the new cabinet has already brought attention to issues that previously went unnoticed by the executive board. He acknowledged that specific student concerns, such as those faced by those in the Women with Children Program, were far removed from his experience.
“I think that’s been good and bad in that it’s good because now we can actually know about it, bad is that those things have gone unnoticed and unknown for so long,” Albrecht said.
This year’s cabinet consists of 13 members, each representing a specific student demographic or group. These representatives were elected within their respective groups or appointed by their offices. They include: Class of 2025 Steve Rinda; Class of 2026 Taylor Walker; Class of 2027 Bella Bartashus; Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) Joey Kozak and Jenna Schuda, split vote; Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Xiahna Davis; Women with Children (WWC) Kassandra Figueroa; Commuter Faith O’Brien; Office of Students with Disabilities, Maura Jenceleski; Graduate Students Hailey Merryman; MMS Office Bridget Ferris; Transfer Students Madison Rodriguez; Off campus Students Max Jamieson; On campus Students Connor McGee.