Hugo Salinas said as SGA’s new Speaker of the Senate, he hopes to bridge gaps between the senators and their constituents’ voices. | Photo by Justin Tijerina / The Cougar.
The legislative body of the Student Government Association elected Hugo Salinas as the new Speaker of the Senate Wed., Feb. 3.
Salinas’ focus for his administration, stemming from high turnover rate in the SGA, is to introduce new practices to help senators find their footing in their positions so they have a greater potential to better represent their constituents.
One of the things Salinas has already set in place is a quick-start guide to alleviate pressure on senators who are hesitant to be vocal.
He is hoping to bridge gaps between the senators and their constituents’ voices.
“As Senators, we try and fix issues that we have faced, but we’re often restricted to our own experiences,” Salinas said. “If we had more of the student body making suggestions on what they have issues with, we would be more effective in addressing student concerns.”
The top three issues Salinas wants SGA to focus on during his term are grade replacement, student input and student participation on campus.
Being a speaker isn’t new to Salinas, he served as Speaker Pro Tempore during the current administration.
“When I heard John was stepping down, I was immediately interested in running for the position of Speaker,” Salinas said. “I have been a part of SGA for two years, and I feel ready to assume the responsibility of Speaker of the Senate.”
Former Speaker of the Senate, John Fields, stepped down because of a time-commitment conflict with his internship at an accounting firm. Knowing this, Fields trained Salinas for the role early, in case he would be absent for a meeting or leave the position entirely.
“As part of my preparation for a seamless transition, I informed Hugo early on that I would have to step down, and began preparing him to potentially take over,” Fields said.
The Speaker is responsible for the legislative branch of SGA in addition to performing standard SGA board member duties.
“The Speaker of the Senate is elected from within the Senate and presides over general meetings of the Senate, heads the Legislative Branch, assigns senators to standing committees, and sets meeting agendas and times,” Fields said.
SAG President Shaun Theriot-Smith said Salinas has shown motivation and involvement in his time with SGA.
“I think he has an excellent mandate to be in this position due to his experience and has frankly been one of SGA’s most dedicated senators,” Theriot-Smith said.
