SGA Brings Back the Presidential Cabinet
By Julia Nicolls
Staff Writer
With this school year already in full swing, the Student Government Association (SGA) is ready to make beneficial changes for the University. Specifically, the Executive Board promoted bringing back a Presidential Cabinet in order to connect the SGA with the University community.
This Cabinet will bring together non-student government affiliate students from a range of backgrounds and experiences. Their role as Cabinet members will be to inform the President and Student Government on student and club needs.
Rishi Shah, the SGA President, and his executive board ran on this idea during the March elections. He states, “This will lead to a more connected and unified student body. And will present a more unified front on behalf on SGA.” Years ago, a Presidential Cabinet did exist, however, it did not carry over through past administrations. According to Shah this “just phased out and didn’t occur for any negative reason.”
The current executive board noticed a need within SGA to become more interconnected throughout campus and amongst students. At the time, many Senators only received information about the student body through fellow Senators or ad hoc members. Shah aims to fix this problem, stating, “I saw the need on campus. We don’t really connect with minority groups on campus.” Shah looks at the reimplementation of the Presidential Cabinet as that way to connect.
According to Emma Murphy, an Education Senator and Academic Affairs Committee Chair, “The Bill specifically stated that the Presidential Cabinet would have up to 20 members from the Seton Hall community meet monthly to discuss pertinent issues of student and academic life.”
Senators seem to be boasting about this new program and its benefits. Diplomacy Senator and Senate Speaker Jacob Abel says, “I believe this Cabinet will make our organization more effective in writing legislation and allow SGA to have a more unified front with students when we seek to make change.”
With the program and the SGA already seeking out members for the Cabinet, Shah is ready to begin discussing ways that the SGA can improve the Seton Hall experience. Shah states that, “The first thing I hope to talk about is mental health resources on campus and how we can improve those resources.” Murphy stated that she also views “the Presidential Cabinet as a significant step to promote advocacy for all students, and to remain aware of improvements that can be made on campus.”
Disclaimer: Julia is an Freshman Senator with the SGA
