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ASG elects new parliamentarian

ASG Senate elected a new parliamentarian Tuesday after the resignation of former speaker and parliamentarian Jack Fetick, as well as students to serve on the student trustee selection committee.

In the special internal election to replace Fetick -- who is currently studying for a combined bachelor's and master's degree in economics -- Senate chose Max Mellott, a former senator and the Senate's first technology officer.

The parliamentarian is a voting member of Senate who is well-versed in parliamentary procedure debate.

The role of the parliamentarian, in his opinion, is to know what the bylaws are and to be a resource for senators who need help understanding the rules. As parliamentarian, Mellott wants to work closely with senators and the administrative committee in order to make sure the rules and practices align in ASG.

"Senate this year has a lot of fresh faces, and while in a lot of ways that is an amazing thing, it also means that we don't have as many people who are as knowledgeable about our procedures as in years past, so I think that it is more important than ever that Senators have access to the resources that they need in order to do their jobs effectively," Mellott said. "Senate is about representing students, but to do that as best as possible Senators need to have access to procedural tools, and that is where the Parliamentarian comes in."

Senate also elected Darsh Parthasarathy and Conor Daly to serve on the board to elect student trustees. Student trustees participate in Miami Board of Trustee meetings, but do not have a vote. They serve to communicate student perspectives on issues to board members and to communicate the board's decisions to students.

As a members of the selection committee, Parthasarathy and Daly are tasked with selecting trustees who best advance the interests of students.

At the forefront of Parthasarathy's concerns when electing a student trustee was better representation for international students. She wants to use her perspective to make sure international students are not forgotten.

"I will do my best to represent the international students in the selection process," Parthasarathy said.

Daly, the other member elected to serve on the committee, has specific requirements that he views necessary for a student trustee.

"To know --along with any leadership position in the university -- that the person is willing to dedicate their time and work hard on things they deem necessary is a critical aspect of electing them for the position. Moreover, if the applicant can identify and come up with solutions for issues of higher education and with our university, then they are exceptionally qualified, as this is one of the significant roles of the position," Daly said.

ogordelm@miamioh.edu