Seven new senators were appointed to the Student Senate and one associate justice to the Supreme Court at the last Student Government Association meeting of the semester on Wednesday. The additions to the Student Senate were nominations from Speaker of the Senate Matthew Phan, not part of a regular election. 

Appointment bills for SGA only require one read before they are debated and then voted on.

Associate Justice — Decson Chairs

Student body president Jia Wen Wang nominated Decson Chairs for the role of associate justice. Chairs, a sophomore studying music education and pre-med biology with a minor in chemistry, is president of the Indigenous Student Collective and a member of the Student Belonging Coalition.

“I believe that every person on our campus should have the right to express their opinions, and if they aren’t being respected, having an avenue to go and talk to people to have them find some type of remedy,” Chairs said. “I want to be a justice to promote accountability on all ends and serve as someone who will ensure that all checks and balances of the Student Government Associations are being held.”

Chairs said that if there was any student organization that he is a part of that has a case in the Senate, he would step away from decisions made regarding that organization. 

“Impartiality is a huge thing,” Chairs said. 

Chairs was appointed to the role with 23 yes votes and one abstention by the senate. 

Graduate Senator — Takudzwa Nhamo

Phan nominated Takudzwa Nhamo to fill an empty Graduate Senator seat. Nhamo is pursuing a master’s in business administration, and is also a member of the Graduate Student Council.

Phan said that Nhamo demonstrated “strong listening and advocacy skills.”

“In my view, a senator’s duty extends beyond speaking. It involves listening with purpose and understanding the diverse experiences and aspirations of the student body and translating that understanding into meaningful action,” Nhamo said. “I am committed to hearing the voices of Wichita State University graduate students.” 

Nhamo said that he plans to work to pass legislation that would help prepare graduate students for an AI-driven future and give them the skills to thrive in their fields.

Nhamo was appointed to the position with 21 yes votes, one no and two abstentions.

Applied Studies Senator — Caiden Berry

Phan also spoke to nominate Caiden Berry as the Applied Studies Senator. Berry is a first-year student majoring in sports management with a minor in communications. 

“I am passionate about being a voice for my peers and helping improve the student experience within our college (of applied learning),” Berry said. “One issue I’ve noticed … is that many students feel disconnected or (are) unaware of the resources that could be used for them.” 

Berry was appointed unanimously, with 24 yes votes. 

Graduate Senator — Nidhi Shenoy

Phan spoke to nominate Nidhi Shenoy as a Graduate Senator. Shenoy is pursuing a master’s degree in economics and quantitative analysis.

Phan said that Shenoy stood out due to her extensive experience in communications as well as her organizational skills. 

“I believe the representation deserves more than just the good intentions. It requires structure, transparency and the willingness to ask hard questions politely but firmly,” Shenoy said. 

Shenoy said that her approach is to focus on the things that are achievable, measurable and grounded in evidence rather than being overly ambitious.

Shenoy was appointed to the role with 23 yes votes and one abstention. 

Graduate Senator — Grant Phillips

Grant Phillips was nominated as a Graduate Senator by Phan, who also nominated him for the Senate’s Government Oversight Committee. Philips is a second-year graduate student pursuing his masters degree in social work. 

“I’m a big believer in the idea that actions speak louder than words,” Phillips said. “I wish to give our programs a greater voice and presence at the table.”

Phillips was appointed with 23 yes votes and one abstention. 

Business Senator — Brayden Short

Brayden Short was nominated as a Business Senator by Phan. Short is a first-year undergraduate student majoring in business administration and currently serves on SGA’s Freshman Leadership Council. 

“I tried to make as much change as I can within my community and especially a community of students … Student government has always been the most productive way to cause change within your community,” Short said. “I want to use this position to challenge the lack of student engagement on campus.”

Short said he wants to work on better communication when it comes to advertising events, especially for adult learners or people who are unable to navigate social media so that they are able to attend on-campus events as well. 

Short was appointed with 22 yes votes and two abstentions. 

Business Senator — Jamie Winslow

Jamie Winslow was nominated as a Business Senator by Phan. Winslow is a first year undergraduate student majoring in accounting with a minor in criminal justice.

“I believe being in student council (in high school) shaped a lot of who I am today and is why I want to continue to do that here,” Winslow said. “I believe that being on both sides of being represented and being the representative really shapes how I can help people.” 

Winslow said that he believes that asking tough questions leads to the best answers, and he plans to talk to people to get those questions and answers. 

“Where can we advance? Where can we help students more? That is the biggest thing that I am about,” he said. 

Winslow was appointed with 24 yes votes. 

Freshman Senator — Ismail Saeed

Phan spoke to appoint Ismail Saeed as the Freshman Senator. Saeed is a first-year undergraduate student majoring in political science. 

“I knew I had to come to (the) student board with an understanding and a determination to represent the people who weren’t there,” Saeed said. “I hope to represent the freshman class … many have voiced their own concerts about a lack of resources and advocacy for them.” 

Saeed was appointed with 23 yes votes and 1 abstention. 

A recording of the Dec. 3 meeting is available here. 

Editor’s note: Nidhi Shenoy was a member of The Sunflower’s podcast team in the fall 2024 semester. The Sunflower is committed to student government coverage. Independent editors were a part of the review process.