Student Assembly President-elect Jim Rich '96 last night named Matt Shafer '97 summer Assembly chair and Scott Rowekamp '97 as vice chair. Assembly members also elected six vice presidents to head next year's Assembly.
Shafer said he was excited to begin working as summer Assembly chair and his goal for summer Assembly "is to have it be what an Assembly should be -- an organization dedicated to serving students."
Also at the meeting, current Assembly Vice President John Honovich '97 resigned from next year's Assembly.
"I have become more mature over the last year and I can see politics as detrimental," Honovich said. "I just see politics but not a lot of productivity."
"It seems that factions have built on both sides," said Honovich, who said he will work for the student body outside the Assembly.
"Jim's and Kelii's relationship looked very strained, very poor. I see it as a very bad start," he said.
Shafer said Honovich attended the meeting only to disrupt the proceedings and damage Rich's image.
Despite the confusion of a new constitution and bickering between various Assembly members, the Assembly approved all of Rich's nominations for the six vice presidents of next year's Assembly.
Laura Bennett '96 was elected vice president of the Administration and Faculty Relations Committee and Della Bennett '96 was elected vice president of the Student Life Committee.
Meredith Epstein '97, currently the chair of the Intellectual Life Committee and president of the Ivy Council, was elected the new vice president of the Student Service Committee and Brandon del Pozo '96 was elected vice president of the Academic Affairs Committee.
Rowekamp will serve as next year's Communications Committee vice president, and Sarah Johnston '97 will be vice president of the Community Service Committee.
Many students said they were unhappy that Rich held elections for the vice presidencies last night. "I don't want to say 'deceitful,' but it seems like a round-about way to get things done," Assembly member Grace Chionuma '96 said.
Assembly Vice President-elect Kelii Opulauoho said, "I feel like this is being rammed through. I think we should have a 24-hour notice."
Rich said his actions were entirely constitutional.
"Considering this is presumably the last meeting of the term, it's important we elect these committee chairs tonight," Rich said. He said the constitution stipulates the Assembly must approve the vice presidents by the end of the term preceding the new year.
Class of 1995 Vice President Hosea Harvey, who chaired the Student Assembly External Review Committee that produced the new constitution, said the newly-changed constitution supported Rich.
