Over the past two weeks, first-year prospective senators have worked to woo voters away from their fellow candidates, covering the campus with a blanket of colorful posters and publicizing their platforms on social media. Now, the election is over, and eight newly elected senators are hard at work learning the ropes of student government.
The Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) held the year’s first General Assembly in Boger Hall on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. According to Zerek Laghari ’29, WSA administrators invited him and other newly elected senators to arrive an hour early, and WSA leaders briefed them on the body’s traditions and procedures. Internal elections for various subcommittees, such as the Student Budget and Academic Affairs committees, also took place at this initial meeting. According to newly-elected senator Makayla Kidd ’29, all senators were inducted into their committees of choice, except for in the Community Committee (CoCo), where more senators were running than there were seats available.
“There was a lot of friendly tension when it came to the Community Committee since a lot of people wanted to be a part of this committee,” Kidd wrote in an email to The Argus. “We had to ‘endorse’ the people we wanted on CoCo, and it just felt so nerve-racking because we had to vote after.”
Senators considered their own interests and skills as well as each committee’s aims when deciding what committee to join during the internal election process.
“I got into the Student Life Committee,” Laghari wrote in an email to The Argus. “It was my top choice committee, so I’m very happy to have gotten into it, [although] I also had interest in the work of the Equity and Inclusion Committee.”
Many new senators shared their positive encounters with senior senators in the WSA during their first meeting, noting their enthusiasm and inclusivity.
“[The upperclassmen] are all very knowledgeable and are very open to sharing their knowledge,” Lucia Martinez-Pelaez ’29 wrote in an email to The Argus. “Though intimidating at first, they are all super kind and open. They understood that the first few meetings are a lot to take in, and many came up afterwards to ask if we had questions and to congratulate us on both being elected to our positions and surviving our first meeting.”
Similarly, Lucas Holman ’29 shared that the Leadership Board of the WSA was very supportive of the new senators.
“Every single chairman is so friendly and welcoming and has good stuff to say,” Holman said.
The new senators reflected on their campaigns and the support they received.
“I’m honestly feeling really grateful knowing that enough people wanted me in the WSA that I got in,” Laghari wrote. “It has really reinvigorated my political enthusiasm and my drive to make change wherever I go.”
Similarly, Martinez-Pelaez noted her gratitude for the voters and her excitement for her role.
“I am truly honored that the student body has chosen me to help represent them to the administration,” she wrote. “I am looking forward to this next year, full of exciting experiences working with the WSA, administration, and student body.”
According to another school-wide email sent by Chief of Staff Corinne Dicpinigaitis ’26, three seats on the Academic Affairs Committee, one seat on the Equity and Inclusion Committee, one seat on the Student Budget Committee, and one seat on the Student Life Committee remain open on the WSA. The deadline to apply for these seats is Friday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m.
Akari Ikeda can be reached at aikeda@wesleyan.edu.
Raiza Goel can be reached at rgoel@wesleyan.edu.
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