Student Government appointed several members to the executive cabinet, including the finance director, ex-officio and director of academic affairs, at their final meeting of the semester, which adjourned after 11 p.m.

Vice President Will Vlasek, a junior in agricultural systems technology, was seated as the executive nominee of the student fees and tuition committee in a vote of 27-0-1. 

“I’ve heard student concerns about the rising cost of a college education,” Vlasek said. “I’m excited to go advocate for students in the rooms in which you make the decisions about the fees and things that students pay for on their UBill.”

The student fees and tuition committee considers the student activity fees added to tuition every semester. The role must hold confidentiality due to the committee overseeing students’ tuition and finances.

Sen. Quinn Margrett, a junior in business economics and former vice president, and Sen. Ryker Markus, a first-year student in agricultural and life sciences education, accepted nominations for the student fees committee.

“We, as students, only have one opportunity to lower the cost of attendance at its source,” Margrett said. “That opportunity is the fee committee, an assembly of five senior administrators and five graduate and undergraduate students who together will decide how much you and I have to pay every year in the form of mandatory fees.”

Margrett has been on the student fee committee for two years.

“Although I do not have any experience on this committee so far, I am devoted to learning more and finding out more, just as I did with finance [committee], just as I did with the rules committee,” Markus said.

After the discussion, the vote concluded with 18-3-6 in favor of Margrett. The result was approved with unanimous consent.

Sen. Erik Rolwes, a junior studying industrial design, and Lauren Neal, a junior in community and regional planning, were nominated to be the Senate’s representative for the CyRide transit board of trustees. 

“I thought I knew a lot about CyRide and how it worked, but it’s completely different,” Rolwes said. “There’s so much that goes behind a decision to add another stop, or add a covered shelter.”

“The only thing I believe is more important than having an intimate understanding of CyRide itself is understanding the significance of student representation in the city we all, at least temporarily, call home,” Neal said.

Each nominee presented a statement of qualifications and answered questions from the Senate. The Senate then held a debate while the candidates were excused.

Rolwes previously held the trustee role, which raised questions in the Senate about Neal’s inexperience in the position.

“While I do not have the privilege to say that I have specific experience serving on the CyRide board of trustees, I do believe that I have a lot of good ideas and input to offer,” Neal said. “Being on the CyRide board of trustees is not something to take lightly, it is a big responsibility.”

The Senate voted 8-14-4 in favor of Neal, which was accepted by unanimous consent.

The executive branch nominated Sen. Noah Kammeyer to serve as finance director, overseeing budget allocations and financial operations within Student Government.

“While experience is a good thing, I also wanted to highlight some of my other traits that I think make me good for this role,” Kammeyer, a junior in political science, said. “These include trying to be welcoming, trying to meet people where they are, but while also trying to show strength.”

Kammeyer was approved as finance director with a vote of 26-0-1.

Emily Boland, a junior majoring in political science, was unanimously seated as the ex-officio to the Ames City Council and on the CyRide transit board of trustees. 

“Above all, my goal is to establish a clear, sustainable framework for this role, so that the students who serve after me are set up for success,” Boland said. “I want to leave behind strong documentation, project blueprints and a committee infrastructure that will empower future students in this role to build on our progress and serve more effectively.”

Boland previously held the position of ex-officio and served on the board of trustees. An ex-officio member attends city council meetings but does not have voting rights. One of the key responsibilities includes organizing joint meetings between the Student Government and the Ames City Council.

Rachel Frost, a junior majoring in political science and the former director of academic affairs, has been nominated to serve in the same role again. She was confirmed with unanimous consent.

“Overall, this past year I have enjoyed representing our amazing student body in our student government through academic participation and a commitment to the core of our experience at Iowa State,” Frost said.

Sen. Ren Moyer was nominated for the director of health and wellness. 

“Let’s keep building a campus where no one slips through the cracks, where we don’t just say we care, we show it,” Moyer said. “We need a place where people feel comfortable reaching out for help, and are met with open arms, not silence.”

Moyer was confirmed with unanimous consent.

Carter Nelson, a senior studying graphic design, was nominated for the director of marketing position. Nelson currently serves as the president of the Design Council. 

“I saw the difference between events that were marketed well and had a lot of time to be exposed versus those that weren’t,” Nelson said. “I would like to use this knowledge to create media campaigns that create a desire for students and faculty to attend and participate.”

After discussion and a vote of 9-6-9, the decision to seat Nelson was denied.

Alex Pallan, a junior in cybersecurity engineering, was unanimously confirmed as director of information technology. Pallan was previously the IT director for the Senate.

“Some of the projects I have completed is I’ve worked with the PR committee to update the new brand standards,” Pallan said. “I reworked the committee pages, got new seals out to those committees.”

Emily Meyer, a junior studying agriculture and rural policy studies, was nominated by the executive branch for the role of director of governmental affairs. 

“In this position, I will be tasked with leading the legislative ambassador team, as well as organizing the Big 12 on the Hill event this year in Washington, D.C.,” Meyer said. “I feel that my experience and connections have prepared me to execute these responsibilities in a way that showcases Iowa State’s strengths.”

Meyer was confirmed with unanimous consent.

The executive branch nominated Lauren Vierregger, a sophomore studying agronomy, and Kit O’Driscoll, a senior in environmental engineering, as co-directors of sustainability.

“I am hoping to further the push for greater knowledge about how Iowa environments have been degraded, and what the average person can do to help,” Vierregger said.

“Throughout it all, the goal was to best represent students and hear what they need,” O’Driscoll said about her previous time serving as director of sustainability. “At every single tabling event, we made a point to ask students what they wanted to see on campus and had them write those thoughts down.”

The pair was confirmed unanimously.

Harley Baumler, a senior studying agricultural and rural policy studies, was nominated by the executive branch as director of outreach and confirmed unanimously.

“I bring a unique perspective to the student body as a transfer student from Ellsworth Community College, where I served as student senate president,” Baumler said. “This is kind of jumping in a lot more professional and a lot bigger things going on here.”

Nabiha Chowdhury, a sophomore in mechanical engineering, was confirmed unanimously as the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) director.

“I have always been passionate about the key principles of the IDEA committee, and as an international student here myself, I understand the importance of inclusivity and equity now more than ever,” Chowdhury said. 

Jay Bell, a junior studying industrial engineering, was confirmed unanimously as director of affordability. 

“Affordability is not just about taking less money out of people’s pockets, but making sure they have the money there in the first place,” Bell said. “We want to have initiatives that will work towards making sure the student body has the opportunities to be making money, expanding the ability for people to get work and grants.”

Sofia De Lima Barbosa, a sophomore studying architecture, was unanimously confirmed as clerk of the Senate. 

Alyssa Olson, a sophomore in political science, was sworn in as a Liberal Arts and Sciences senator.

Speaker Josie Pursley, a senior in political science, and Rolwes were selected unanimously for the Jack Trice Character Award selection committee.