Graduate at Large Senator Cameron Barrett was appointed on Wednesday to become attorney general after Sakethram Desabhotla’s term naturally ends Sept. 30
“I’ve served on various student leadership positions throughout my time at UH, and it’s always great to find that next opportunity to serve the students,” Barrett said, who was the Student Government Association’s president last year. “I’m looking forward to helping manage the elections.”
Desabhotla ran an application process to pick a nomination to be his successor. After being selected by Desabhotla, Barrett’s confirmation was voted on and passed by the Senate, in order to be appointed.
“There are a few reasons why I picked him, and to be honest his passion is probably the biggest reason,” Desabhotla said. “I really hope you all see in him what I see in him.”
Barrett was also appointed for the Graduate and Professional Students Advisory Committee.
The SGA meeting Wednesday proceeded with the discussion of seven appointments and six bills.
President Allison Lawrence started her series of three bills with a first read of the Budget Bill. This bill reallocated SGA funds throughout different departments of the program. Changes in the budget include a decrease in funds for the SGA Banquet and an increase in operating expenses.
Lawrence continued with a first read of Let’s Tackle Hunger Food Drive, which included an overview of a collaboration food drive with UH Athletics.
“This bill is just saying that athletics will partner with UH Athletics to facilitate a food drive at a Houston athletic event at least once each academic year,” Lawrence said. “It was really beneficial, and athletics was completely open to doing it.”
Similarly to the Let’s Tackle Hunger Food Drive bill there was also a first read of the Food Drive With Parking And Transportation Services bill, which is in the same spirit of collaborating in order to collect food for pantries, but this time partnering up with PTS instead of athletics, Lawrence said.
The Legislative Accountability Act passed Wednesday. The goal of the bill is to ensure communication between college senators are maintained.
“What this bill does is establishes meetings with senators each individual college to have them meet with each other at least four times a semester,” Campbell said. “Basically, discuss initiatives that will impact their specific college.”
A first read of the Appointment Clarification Bill passed which pushes for clarification on how to nominate an acting attorney general if the full time position is not filled by the end of the acting attorney general’s term.
“We want to ensure that the appointment process for a new AG getting confirmed is more independent,” Desabhotla said. “And this bill just serves to increase that independence.”