UT Martin Student Government Association recently held its annual elections for the 2023 academic year.
This year, the election had many close calls with four students winning their positions by less than ten percent more votes than their opposing candidates. Candidates who are elected serve in their positions for one academic year and serve the entire UT Martin student body. As a member of SGA, elected officials will strive to have the voice of students heard through legislation that improves each student’s experience at UT Martin.
The results of this year’s election are as follows:
- SGA President– Faith Pilkington
- SGA Vice President– Madeleine Griffey
- SGA Secretary General– Carter Coleman
- SGA Press Secretary– Colby Maclin
- UT Martin Advisory Board Student Representative– Taylor Cantrell
- SGA Justices– Jayna Page, Alec Mothersele, and Damien Hicks
- SGA Graduate Senator– Dawson Gremmels
- College of Agriculture and Applied Science Senators– Seth Byrd, Taylor Cantrell, Casey Bohr, Anndee Haley, and Scarlett Cook
- College of Business and Global Affairs Senators– Colton Burress, McKenzie McKennon, Dylan Davis, and Ayden Carroll
- College of Education, Health and Behavioral Sciences Senators– Keelen Yates, Joana Aguirre, Addie Zantop, Will Crawford, Grant Ream, Jamarion Higgins, Madison Owen, Madison Gray, and Taylor Lollar
- College of Engineering and Natural Sciences Senators– Anna Holt and Savannah Kuhns
- College of Humanities and Fine Arts Senators– Lauryn Davis, Mmachukwu (Favour) Osisioma, Martha Jane Hooper, Ella Sego, Maleia Bigham, Madison Bixler, Kathryn Redlund, and Elle Edwards
Along with voting for elections, the student body also had the opportunity to vote on a petition regarding the legality of teaching systematic racism in schools. The legislation won with a majority in favor of the petition amongst the student body and is worded as follows:
Petition Demanding that the University of Tennessee at Martin Faculty Senate Condemn White Supremacist
“Education: Legislation
To: the University of Tennessee at Martin Faculty Senate and Faculty Senate Executive Committee
WHEREAS teaching about the role and history of systemic racism in U.S. History and contemporary U.S. society is central to the realization of racial justice and indispensable to responsible citizenship in the United States today; and
WHEREAS the state of Tennessee over the past two years has made illegal the teaching of systemic racism at the K-12 level and the requirement of such teaching at institutions of higher education,
We, the undersigned, demand that our University Faculty Senate first condemn these white supremacist laws, and second, to call upon our UTM administration and UT System leadership to do likewise.“
More information about the UT Martin Student Government Association can be found at https://www.utm.edu/offices-and-services/student-government-association/.
