The Student Confederation transition ceremony brought tears, laughter, a new executive board and a new name to the organization that incoming President Kyle Taylor said will "guarantee that student rights are being met and their voices heard."
General Assembly Speaker Richard Bradbury dissolved the Student Confederation with a bang of the gavel at the end of the ceremony, activating the name Student Government. The name change was part of the organization's new constitution ratified last semester.
Taylor said in his inaugural address that the Student Government will represent AU's socially conscious spirit.
"In few other campuses across this country would the rights of coffee growers in distant nations become the topic du jour," he said. "The Pura Vida campaign demonstrated that we aren't simply concerned with the taste of coffee; we are committed to a test of conscience. We answered a call to defend the rights of countries we have never seen and people we have never met."
He pledged to increase communication between students and administrators and expand student representation.
Taylor choked back tears as he thanked administrators, friends and his family, which flew from California, for the ceremony.
Outgoing President Polson Kanneth was also teary as he handed over the office to Taylor. He reviewed the SC's accomplishments, including campaigning to keep fall break, extending hours at the library during exam study days, fighting for a fairer parking policy and efforting to keep the golf and tennis teams.
"As an organization I strongly feel that we have exceeded [our] goals," Kanneth said. "It is a testament to the strength of this body."
The position of president is a big responsibility, he said.
"Several freshman students came up to me and said they would have my job in a few years," Kanneth said. "I was like, 'Whoa, lean back.' "
He thanked his administration for a productive year and advised Taylor to "have fun with the position and make sure to put the students first."
Ed O'Keefe, who emceed, entertained the crowd of about 100 with his advice for Taylor.
"Kyle, I hope you're not planning on leaving for Oxford. Because if you are I know Nick Terzulli is probably looking for a job and would be eager to fill your shoes," he joked, referring to the flopped spring 2003 transition when Terzulli took over for Haley Stevens, who won the election but went abroad to study at Oxford University.
Outgoing Vice President Jason Trombley thanked the rest of the executive board for their support and gave incoming Vice President Leah Kreimer the actual keys to his office. He said she should fight student apathy and make her term memorable.
"There may be ones who think you don't work for them," Trombley said. "But you can change that."
Kreimer said she still couldn't believe she won the position but she's ready to fill it.
"I never thought that I would be standing here embarking on this journey," she said. "I am ready to face the challenge of serving as Student Confederation vice president."
Moamar Tidjani-Dourdjaye, outgoing comptroller, stressed that his position is about service.
"Service is what it's all about and I urge you to make a difference," he said.
Incoming Comptroller Zach Ulrich said the experience he gained when he served in the General Assembly, the SG's legislative branch, will be helpful during his term.
"I will use my institutional knowledge to make informed fiduciary decisions," he said. He said he hopes the comptroller can take a more active role in the organization.
Outgoing Secretary Jamie Rea told incoming Secretary Joseph Vidulich what to anticipate in his new position.
"Expect to encounter more stress than you thought imaginable," she said. Sometimes the job requires a sense of humor and when things get rough, "all you can do it laugh, just sit in your chair and laugh."
As Parliamentarian, Alex Cosmo swore Vidulich in, some in the crowd shouted one of his nicknames, "Gary! Gary!"
"It is a tremendous responsibility that I'm willing to live up to and will not take lightly," he said. "It's our job to make sure we know how students feel ... we need to feel the pulse of the University"
