Uris Library and Jennie McGraw Tower at Cornell University.
Representatives questioned Student Assembly president Anuli Ononye (‘22) after she announced Valeria Valencia (‘23) as the new Vice of President of Finance after the position’s incumbent resigned Thursday.
Before the adjournment of yesterday’s contentious S.A. meeting, Ononye announced that the previous V.P. Finance resigned from her position on the S.A. leadership. Following the news, the president stated that the runner-up in the internal election will succeed her. Thus, Valencia, who is the First Generation Student Representative, would assume the position.
Several members of the Assembly questioned this appointment. Arts and Sciences representative Everest Yan (‘22) raised a point-of-order, asking if this procedure was in accordance with the by-laws. Ononye responded that this was normal procedure. College of Engineering Representative and V.P. External Affairs Annette Gleiberman (‘22) argued that such a motion would not be in accordance with Article II, Section 2 of the Assembly’s by-laws.
The document states:
The SA will, as soon as possible after the spring election, hold an organizational and planning meeting in executive session. At this meeting, the voting members will elect from among themselves the offices of Vice President of Internal Operations, Vice President for Finance, a Vice President of External Affairs, a Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion…Elected officers should be approved by a majority vote of SA members present at organizational meeting.
Ononye acknowledged that the Assembly’s parliamentarian was not present at the meeting, so the appointment could be a further conversation. In the meantime, she announced that Valencia would be designated as the interim V.P. Finance.
