By Patrick Armstrong | Editor in Chief

Brianna Velazquez named SGA chief justice. Photo by Mateen Sidiq | Multimedia Editor

An SGA committee met Thursday, Sept. 3, to interview six candidates for the vacant chief justice position. Former Chief Justice Megan Garret resigned for personal reasons earlier in the week.

“We were impressed with everything [Garret] put into it,” Chris Drew, SGA president, said after the selection of chief justice was made. “It was a mutual understanding.”

The candidates for chief justice were Hykeem Craft, Kevin Chriswell, Will Hendricks, Elle Smith, Katie Smith and Brianna Velazquez. Drew said he was impressed with the number of candidates and said the interviews went well, considering applicants had less than 24 hours to prepare. “All were qualified each in their own way,” Drew said.

The committee was comprised of Drew, Vice President Kenny Kennedy, Justice Kathryn White, Senator Riley Braem and Secretary Sara Seesholtz. SGA Adviser Greg Singleton was also present.

Since SGA did not have a current chief justice or associate justice, Seesholtz was chosen to fill the vacancy on the committee.

The committee selected Velazquez as the new chief justice.

“The executive council and our adviser are working very hard to see that this does not disrupt any of the functions and services that students expect of us,” Drew said in an e-mail sent out to all SGA members.

– Patrick Armstrong, Editor in Chief