The Weber State University Student Association will be seeing some executive changes in vice president leadership positions this November. With the resignation of Diversity
and Unity Vice President Mindy Chamberlin, a new vice president must be chosen and put through the WSU Student Senate by the end of fall semester at the latest.
The position for diversity and unity vice president will be advertised for at least one week, and the position is open to any student whose qualifications match the standard elected WSUSA position requirements. Criteria include a 2.5 GPA, and the student must be attending school full-time, which means being enrolled in at least 12 credit hours for both fall and spring semester.
“I want to push this as fast as we can,” said Brady Harris, the legislative vice president. “There is a lot that needs to happen, especially coming up, and there’s no leadership, and a replacement leader is important.”
According to Harris, WSUSA President Andrew Gardiner will put a committee together and interview the potential candidates. The committee includes four student senators, Student Affairs Vice President Jan Winniford, senate adviser Aaron Newman and two students at large. Harris said these two students should be from the area the vacancy is in and be involved with the Center for Diversity and Unity.
Once the potential candidates are interviewed, one will be chosen and presented to the student senate by Gardiner. The senate will then vote, and a two-thirds majority vote will be needed to ratify the new vice president into place.
“It’s a long process just to make sure that the students that are represented by the diversity VP get a qualified candidate in there,” Harris said. “It’s what those students deserve to have.”
Gardiner said the candidates must realize the time commitment the vice president position requires. He also said it’s a leadership role, and whoever applies must take into consideration that he or she represents the students and the Center for Diversity and Unity.
“They have to be passionate about Weber State,” Gardiner said.
He also said the senate is anxious to get someone in the position and fill the need.
At least four students who currently sit on the Diversity Board have considered applying for the vice presidency. Kelsey Capoferri said she will apply for the position and is presently serving as the Stop the Hate chair on the board. She said she believes whoever is chosen as the new vice president should have experience working with the Center for Diversity and Unity.
“It would be nice to have somebody who has been involved with CDU in someway,” Capoferri said. “I mean, for us, we are all currently on the board, so that’s helpful.”
Capoferri said that if a student who has no diversity experience was chosen, he or she would have a difficult time catching up with all the events the center has planned.
“If they didn’t know what we’ve been doing all the semester, it would be really difficult to get them up to date on everything,” she said.
Another possible applicant for the position is Lola Moli, who currently serves as Sessions on the Ledge chair on the Diversity Board. She said she feels like she is qualified due to her experience working with Chamberlin and Josh Hunt, the current assistant diversity director.
“I know what its like to be a president,” said Moli, recalling her high-school experience in student government. “I kind of know what it’s like to lead people as the head of the group.”
According to Moli, Chamberlin passed on the position temporarily to Hunt, and she, along with everyone else on the Diversity Board, has been picking up additional responsibilities as well.
Interested and qualified students who wish to apply for the position will need to fill out the appointed position packet found in the Student Involvement and Leadership Office or online at the WSUSA website. Gardiner said students who can apply should do so as soon as possible.
