At the weekly Illinois Student Government meeting, ISG appointed two new committee chairs and two new judiciary members. ISG also created a Committee on Environmental Sustainability.

Chief of Staff Spencer Haydary, senior in LAS, put in his letter of resignation and will be officially resigning Dec. 13, after the new chief of staff is decided.

Fernando Arias, sophomore in LAS and vice president of the speech and debate team, and Adam Yusen, junior in LAS, treasurer and head of debate for the speech and debate team, and scheduling director for Illini Democrats, are the two members ISG appointed to the judiciary.

“I have the temperament, I am hardworking, I am detailed-oriented, always had a love for the law and a firm belief the law can be a force for good,” Arias said. “This is something you want in a justice, someone who is willing to read the law and interpret it, apply it to the standards that are fair and solidly in place.” 

Yusen said he will look into previous judiciary actions and create a summary of constitution and register, so he can have it moving into the future.

Andrew Minik, senior in Business and treasurer for Turning Point USA at the University of Illinois, was approved to chair the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

“If I’m going to keep complaining (about ISG), then the least I can do is to actual get involved,” Minik said.

Minik said he believes he would be an asset because he doesn’t necessarily fit in with many groups included in the committee. Minik has only recently joined Pride, an organization on campus. He said that making a difference is his priority as chair of the committee.

Derek Meyer, sophomore in LAS and former vice chair of the Committee on Financial Affairs, was approved as the chair of the committee.

“Since being on financial affairs, I have gained a lot of insight on how the committee works,” Meyer said.

Meyer has been able to watch how the former head of financial affairs, Annalisa Roncone, senior in LAS, ran the committee, and she has given him the insight on what it takes to run it.

The Committee on Environmental Sustainability was changed from a sub-committee to a standing committee after a resolution passed.

Rebecca Laurent, junior in ACES, was nominated as chair of the Committee on Environmental Sustainability. The nomination for chair will remain open for next week’s meeting as well.

The resolution on the ISG spread in the Illio Yearbook was amended from a two-page spread to a one-page spread. However, the resolution itself was not passed.

ISG Vice President Joey Domanski, senior in LAS, wanted to use the yearbook to get ISG’s name out there.

ISG undocumented ally training, a workshop to provide information to students to better serve undocumented students, was passed in this week’s meeting.

Nancy Ramirez-Blancas, junior in LAS, said she wants to make sure the number of people informed of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program increases, and she wants those numbers to come from students. Ramirez-Blancas said she believes that ISG has the important responsibility of educating others.

[email protected]