The Ohio University Student Senate’s last meeting Wednesday night ended with Megan Marzec, who has never held a senate position before, pounding the gavel bringing an end to what outgoing President Anna Morton called a “challenging” year.
“With just the four years I’ve been here, this has been one of the most challenging, but also exciting years for senate,” Morton said.
One of the main sources of challenges for senate came in the form of Nick Southall, the president of senate during the Fall Semester.
“Nick’s presidency wasn’t great. It’s no mystery there, but I think he meant well,” said Ryan Lombardi, vice president for Student Affairs. “I think he wanted to do a great job; it just didn’t work out for him.”
Southall brought attention to the organization when he sent out a controversial tweet on Sept. 1 causing backlash among students, who some claimed the tweet was, “slut shaming.” On Nov. 20, Southall was nearly impeached by the body, but narrowly escaped by three votes.
Southall’s turbulent presidency ended on Dec. 24 when he resigned after being arrested for “disorderly intoxication — disturbance,” while in Florida during a university-organized trip for the Beef ‘O’ Brady Bowl.
Southall forfeited his full tuition scholarship as a result of resigning. In-state tuition and fees at OU for this year was $10,380. Southall declined a request for comment.
Morton, who was Southall’s vice president stepped into presidency on senate’s Jan. 15 meeting. At the following senate meeting three members resigned, including Treasurer Austin LaForest, a position filled by Adam Brown, a then residential life senator, six minutes after Morton read LaForest’s letter of resignation.
On Jan. 29 Mary Kate Gallagher was elected vice president after senate suspended a rule allowing outside applicants to apply for the position. She had resigned from senate on Sept. 18, citing senate’s disrespect.
After Gallagher was elected, Morton said in a previous Post article that she wanted to change senate’s conduct and disciplinary committee, which punishes senate members, to include non-senate members and bring “continuity” to the Spring Convo concert. Neither goal was achieved, Morton said.
“I think there should be one or two solid goals as a leader for the year because it’s difficult to accomplish all those and I didn’t find the time,” Morton said. “I think my clear goal should have been, which I think was accomplished, to really stabilize senate and let’s get back to our mission.”
Senate’s spring semester, under Morton, was more of a return to business as usual, Lombardi said.
“The fall (semester) was a rocky fall … but I think the body was able to turn itself around, get focused,” he said.
Most of senate’s programing, such as Take Bake the Night and Athens Beautification Day, takes place during the spring and the body was able to make those events happen. Brown was also able to make changes to senate’s budget rules at senate’s last meeting of the year.
Morton said she “absolutely” does not regret anything.
“It’s been rewarding and I wouldn’t take it back,” she said. “If you would have asked me maybe at the beginning of the semester, I would have had a different answer, but I think time really has a way of telling you how you actually feel. ... I’m glad I didn’t jump ship.”
@mariadevito13
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