Duke Student Government senators met Wednesday to confirm its elected officials for the 2024-25 academic year’s session, review the year’s achievements and vote on awards.
The senate unanimously voted to confirm all 20 elected officials for the upcoming 31st session of DSG. The officials included junior and incoming president Heather Raslan, junior and incoming vice president Akhilesh Shivaramakrishnan, incoming Chief of Staff Jax Nalley, a junior, incoming Chief Financial Officer Ayanna Chatman, a junior, and incoming Speaker of the Senate Dylan Cawley, a sophomore, as well as the incoming vice presidents, associate vice presidents and senators for each committee.
Committee updates
Members of each committee reflected on the achievements from the past year.
The executive board shared a list of the projects that DSG accomplished during the 2023-24 school year. The academic affairs committee, Durham and community affairs committee, equity and outreach committee, and services and sustainability committee congratulated each other for their work this year.
The campus life committee also highlighted their work on the parking and transportation survey, which “gauged student feedback for improvements in Parking & Transportation services through an undergraduate survey with 491 responses,” according to a document that outlined all of DSG’s projects for the school year.
Bestowing awards
Senators nominated and voted on seven awards given to administrators and fellow members of DSG.
Senior Sophie Smith, vice president of campus life, was awarded the Paul Edwin Harner award. The Reginaldo Howard Award was given to Tara Singh, director of residential experience and policy.
First-year and senator Emily Wang received the Graydon John Forrer Award. The Shrey H. Majmudar Award went to Chief of Staff Chase Barclay, a senior.
The Dean Suzanne Wasiolek Award was awarded to Debbie Heida, interim associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students. Luis Juarez-Hernandez, a C-1 bus driver, was given the Nannerl O. Keohane Award. The award for Outstanding Affiliate went to the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee.
In other news
The senate allocated funding for three clubs and approved an amendment to the DSG Affiliate bylaw.
The senate gave Our Urban Future a total of $1535.70 to be used for “outstanding expenses” incurred by an event in which they hosted city planner Gil Penalosa. The funds are also to be used for covering outstanding expenses related to OUF’s initiatives to raise awareness about urban studies and advocacy for more on-campus events related to urban planning.
The senate also approved $1,200 for the Duke Energy and Climate Club to cover outstanding expenses related to club meetings and to prevent an overdraft from occurring before the next academic year.
Senators approved $195 to the Religious Life Highlights project for an interfaith dinner at Gothic Grill. According to the statute, the project aims to “to create an interfaith discussion and celebrate the unique characteristics and many commonalities between campus faith communities.”
Senators voted to approve an amendment to the affiliate bylaw, which allows the Student Wellness Advisory Committee to remain an affiliate of DSG. The amendment also established a connection between the academic affairs and services and sustainability committees, mandating that the Student Wellness Advisory Committee send a monthly report of their progress and updates to the vice president of each committee.
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Claire Cranford is a Trinity sophomore and features managing editor for the news department.