Student Congress approves new chief justice, committee members

From appointing members for select committees, to appointing a new Chief Justice of the Student Body Supreme Court, to awarding funding for organizations, Student Congress decided the fate of many students at their meeting Tuesday. 

Here’s what The Daily Tar Heel observed:

Select committees gain new faces

Junior Laura Brache was appointed to the WXYC Board of Directors.

“I’ve been involved in radio stations on campus,” Brache said.

Student Television Board of Directors accepted a new member, senior David Belk. 

Junior Student Congress member Georgia Cameron was appointed to the Student Library Advisory Board. She said she hopes to improve the library system. 

“The library is a big part of our university, so I’d like to help make it a better place,” Cameron said.

First-year Varun Amesur was appointed as a member of the Student Advisory Committee to the Chancellor tonight. He said he plans on improving the campus for all students, specifically students involved in the business aspects of the University. 

Student Congress members Aidan Hennessy and Basil Kazi were elected to the campus climate committee and Student Congress member Craig Amasya was elected as vice chairperson of the campus development committee. 

New chief justice to preside over the UNC Supreme Court

Graduate student Matt Leming, who was already a member of UNC Supreme Court, was approved favorably by a subcommittee last week and officially named chief justice at the Student Congress meeting.

Student Congress member Cole Simons questioned Leming regarding his lack of knowledge of the term “individual gain." Simons said he asked Leming the same question last week and Leming didn’t know the answer. Simons said he was disappointed, but still moved to accept Leming in this position.

Simons said he wants the Supreme Court to be more visible to the student body as a whole.

“I would also like to try to make it known that the Student Supreme Court is an option not only for complaints within student government, but with any organization that hopes to receive money from congress,” Leming said.

Funding awarded to UNC Hillel and UNC-CH Lens

Sophomore Charles Carpenter, treasurer of UNC-CH Lens, requested and received $1,145 for a new camera and lens. 

UNC-CH Lens is an organization that performs photo shoots for donations, which they put towards having photo shoots for families who cannot afford to record their memories, Carpenter said. To help, they produce and frame these photos for families so they can have these memories. 

“(The camera will be for) people who don’t have the money to buy a good camera with changeable lenses, so they can participate in the club and do service with us,” Carpenter said.

Another group that received considerable funding was UNC Hillel, a Jewish community of graduate and undergraduate students. Junior Meredith Blumberg, vice president of communications and finance, asked for funding so Hillel could host two speakers at a public discussion. Blumberg requested $3,410 for publicity, travel, and other expenses. The funding was approved but reduced to $3,387, cutting the money for publicity. 

Look towards the future

The Student Congress will be holding an open forum on October 5th. 

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