Four new Student Government officials and 35 student senators took an oath promising to do their best to serve their school, their community and their constituents at the inauguration ceremony on March 31.
Bethany Blinsky, a junior philosophy and social change and public policy double major, delivered her first address announcing the introduction of a campaign against sexual assault, "It's On Us," to Otterbein.
"We chose 'It’s On Us' because we believe that the mission statement and ethics of the organization mirrors the model we believe we are working on here at Otterbein. We are excited to continue working with available campus sexual assault resources such as the WGRC, our campus chaplain and our Title IX administrators and Wellness administrators to support survivors and create a safer campus environment," Blinsky said.
Former OUSG President Carrie Coisman, a senior women's, gender, and sexuality studies and history double major, praised the students under her administration in her final address as president.
“We have demanded recognition from leaders and our community, we’ve had discussions concerning curriculum, the university budget and campus facilities. And those conversations turned into actions, actions that would not have happened without your contributions. We have written two major campus culture-changing policies, the alcohol policy and the upcoming divestment policy,” Coisman said, referencing a proposal that is scheduled for a University Senate vote on April 6.
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Students Bob Gatti addressed the new assembly stating that he would like the new student government to work on ways that the university could be more efficient in light of the budget shortfall. Gatti said the student government should continue making sexual violence an issue and that OUSG should help the development of campus center renovations.
Gatti echoed a letter from the cabinet sent via email to students in his push to address incidents involving hate and bias on campus in the past year, urging the new student government to address the issue.
“Over the course of the past year, several troubling actions have occurred that have concerned me in our community,” Gatti said. “We need to encourage our community to be more respectful in bringing in speakers to campus, finding us speakers, encouraging university programs, to challenge inappropriate comments and to report all incidents of violence.”
Gatti addressed the past Student Government at an Oct. 22 meeting, stating that he was proud of the student response to anti-abortion protesters and that he wanted to challenge Student Government to challenge the administration.
The student senate body awarded the "Committee of the Year" award to the Allocations Committee and the "Senator of the Year" award to Sami Beers and Daniel Duvall. The committee reviewed and sent forward several student life fee proposals this year while Duvall chaired the Campus Services and Regulations Committee and Beers sat on the Allocations Committee.
Blinsky and Brenna Helm were sworn in as president and vice as the only candidates running for the contested positions on the OUSG ballot. Jeremy Paul was sworn in as treasurer, and Allison Asarch as secretary.
Student senators who took the oath at the meeting include the following: Miriam Aburmaieleh, Aesha Al Izzi, Brigin Aslin, Ciara Atkinson, Ladan Barnes, Sami Beers, Alexis Bowman, Katie Cerqua, Jacob Dilley, Daniel Duvall, Delaney Galbraith, Mallory Gasbarre, Sam Hardin, Ayden Howell, Evan Huggins, Erin Hughes, Wafaa Jallaq, Trent Johns, Ryan Karapas, Chance Landers, Isabella Majoros, Yoshi Maroscher, Kerigan McNamara, Jonathan Obenchain, Mikayla Pieper, Josh Plichta, Haylie Schmoll, Braeden Sparks, Alexey Stanislavovich, Malerie Takach, Wesley Thomson, Becca Weinel, Soon Wai Yee and Katie Cerqua.
Several student were listed as inaugurates but their names were not called. These students were Hannah Barr, Jasmine Caldwell, Brock Frentzel, Victoria Walden, Jared Withers and Elise Woods.
