SGA to restructure leadership roles

The SGA will reorganize next year to tighten its structure and enhance the student voice in school policy and procedure, according to SGA President Eric Hysen.

The restructuring calls for the creation of two new elected school-wide positions, treasurer and secretary, as well as the installation of three more permanent high-ranking positions on the SGA's cabinet, and the election of two school senate representatives from each of Blair's five academies and special programs to make up the new senate.

The school-wide treasurer will be responsible for the organization's finances and for coordinating club events, such as the showcases, activity fairs and activity council. The secretary will oversee publicity, record minutes and organize elections.

There will also be three additional permanent positions added to the SGA — chief of staff, student advocate and community outreach director. Together with the president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, these will comprise the seven permanent staff positions of the SGA, which will centralize power and lead to a more efficient SGA, Hysen said.

"This allows us to have some continuity in organizational structure from year to year," he said. "Nearly everything the SGA would do is included in those seven positions."

The roles of director of special projects, director of school spirit and communications director will be filled depending on the availability of candidates each year and the needs of the current cabinet. They will all operate beneath the seven primary positions, Hysen said.

Class treasurers and secretaries will no longer be elected, but appointed, according to Hysen. Each class president and vice president will still be elected, but the class president will appoint a treasurer and secretary from those candidates who did not win positions. Instead of just having one person run for a position and win by default, the new system "gives the class president more flexibility and gives [students] stronger people in the long run," Hysen said.

Currently, the school senate consists of five representatives from each class, none of whose seats were contested, Hysen said. The current system has several flaws; for instance, he said some senators were confused as to what their duties were, and the senate did not have a strong voice within the SGA.
The new senate will consist of two representatives from each of the five academies and the Magnet, Communication Arts Program and ESOL programs alongside the four class presidents and vice presidents, according to Hysen.