On Tuesday night, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College president-elect Reed Piercey, MCAS ’19, sponsored a resolution to bring seats to the Student Assembly (SA) for the Montserrat Executive Board and First-Generation Club. Entitled “A Resolution Concerning the Addition of Student Assembly Seats Representing the Montserrat Executive Board and the First-Generation Club,” the resolution was developed in collaboration with the Montserrat Executive Board and was co-sponsored by Ignacio Fletcher, MCAS ’20; Sam Szemerenyi, MCAS ’20; Madeleine McCullough, MCAS ’20; and Hugh McMahon, MCAS ’20.
With this motion, the Montserrat Board and First-Generation Club will allow one of their members each year to serve as a Montserrat Senator in the SA. If more than one student is nominated by the Montserrat Executive Board or the First-Generation Club for each group’s respective seat, the winner of each position will be determined by the general student body in the annual Student Assembly election. These positions will open in the Spring 2018 election, and members of either group can run for the spots.
The advancement of this incentive, which Piercey and Fletcher had presented in their campaign platform, shows the next UGBC president and executive vice president following through on their proposals. The inclusion of these groups in the SA will hopefully illuminate the resources currently available and initiate new incentives beneficial to these students in order to combat the social culture at BC that tends to exclude lower income students. The Montserrat Coalition and the First-Generation Club are important organizations at BC that haven’t had much recognition within UGBC, and this resolution rightly ensures that they will receive representation.
The Sunday prior, Piercey and Fletcher appointed Taraun Frontis, CSOM ’19, to the position of Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion (VPDI). Piercey and Fletcher were criticized at times during their campaigning for lacking representation of students of color. In seeking to add diverse perspectives to the Executive Council, Frontis is a logical and appropriate appointee. His qualifications include experience as AHANA+ Leadership Council (ALC) Chair, a Bowman Advocate, and a Compass Mentor. After his defeat in this year’s UGBC presidential election, Frontis’ willingness to be a part of his opponent’s Executive Council shows his dedication to intended UGBC initiatives combating discrimination.
Featured Graphic by Nicole Chan / Graphics Editor
