Leadership Overview
There are three branches of the Student Senate and are led by the Student Senate Speaker, Student Body President, and the USNH Board Representative. The speaker oversees the administrative functions of the Student Senate including the Student Activity Fee Committee. The Student Body President is responsible for crafting policy, engaging with the campus community, and overseeing the Cabinet of the Student Body President. The USNH Board Representative is responsible for representing UNH students in the USNH Board of Trustees.
Senate Executive Board
The Student Senate Executive Board approves the minutes of the Student Senate, can act in place of the body in emergent situations, and guides the Senate through policy decisions and administrative functions.
Membership
- Senate Speaker
- Student Body President
- Student Body Vice President
- UNH Undergraduate USNH Board Representative/Trustee
- Senate Parliamentarian
- Senate Executive Officer
Office of the Student Body President
Christian T. Katumba
Student Body President
One of the oldest institutions of student leadership, and predating even the Senate itself, the Student Body President (SBP) sits at the head of the Student Body, and acts as the primary spokesperson for student interests to the Administration, state and local government, alumni, and other parties.
The Student Body President has the exclusive right to sit and vote on any committee or body of the Administration, and actively does so. Currently, the Student Body President is a member of several institutions, including the UNH Alumni Association and the Space Allocation, Adaption and Renewal Committee (SAARC).
The Student Body President is also the head of the Cabinet, the members of which serve as the primary means of implementing the SBP's policy mandate.
The Student Body President is amongst the only three positions to be elected by the entire Student Body, alongside the Student Body Vice President and the University Student Board Representative.
The Student Body President ... shall be the legitimate representative voices of the undergraduate Student Body. ~ Student Senate Constitution
Rachel Rowley
Student Body Vice President
The Student Body Vice President (SBVP) is, alongside the Student Body President, at the forefront of student life at UNH. The SBVP acts as the primary assistant to the SBP, filling in for them in their absence and acting as their representative to meetings they are unable to attend. The SBVP is also a member of the Cabinet.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of Student Body President, the Student Body Vice President becomes the Student Body President.
The Student Body Vice President is amongst the only three positions to be elected by the entire Student Body, alongside the Student Body President and the University Student Board Representative.
The Student Body Vice President shall... be a spokesperson for the Student Body in conjunction with the Student Body President. ~ Student Senate Bylaw
Senate Officers
Molly Tyle
Senate Speaker
The Speaker of the Student Senate is the sole spokesperson and leader of the internal structure of the Student Senate. The Speaker oversees and appoints the Officers of the Student Senate, and sits on the Student Activity Fee Committee (SAFC) Executive Board. They chair all meetings of the Student Senate, and are also the chairperson of the Election Committee and the SAFC Appeals Boad. They are ex-officio members of all councils and committees of the Student Senate, and work to convey resolutions passed by the Student Senate to the Administration or other interested parties.
Due to the importance and need for such a position to be unbiased, the Speaker is required to be largely non-partisan in Student Senate business.
Emily Lemire
Senate Parliamentarian
studsen.parliamentarian@unh.edu
The Parliamentarian is the leading figure on the Governing Documents of the Student Senate, including parliamentary procedure found in Robert's Rules of Order. The Parliamentarian is often viewed as the deputy to the Speaker, filling in for them in their absence and chairing meetings of the Student Senate when they are unable to do so. The Parliamentarian assists the Speaker in running the internal functions of Student Senate.
Due to the importance and need for such a position to be unbiased, the Parliamentarian is required to be largely non-partisan in Student Senate business.
Abby Mathieu
Executive Officer
The Executive Officer (Ex-O) maintains the membership
roster of Student Senate, and ensures that all members of the body meet the necessary qualifications to remain in office. The Ex-O determines the number of Student Senator seats per constituency for each session and works to fill vacant positions within the Student Senate. The Executive Officer also organizes the annual Fall Orientation for members of the Student Senate.
Due to the importance and need for such a position to be unbiased, the Executive Officer is required to be largely non-partisan in Student Senate business.
Lauren Whelan
Director of Public Relations
The Director of Public Relations (DPR) is the chief outreach officer of the Student Senate, a
nd is charged with its publicity, merchandising, online presence, and social media. They are also largely responsible for organizing voter outreach during elections, and, along with the Executive Officer, filling vacancies in positions and seats on the Student Senate.
Due to the importance and need for such a position to be unbiased, the Director of Public Relations is required to be largely non-partisan in Student Senate business.
Anthony Bilodeau
Business Manager
The Business Manager of the Student Senate is the head of the finances of the Student Senate, and represents the internal structure of the body on the Student Activity Fee Committee (SAFC). The Business Manager is charged with ensuring the proper disposal of Student Senate's budget and submits a proposed budget to SAFC on behalf of the Student Senate every fiscal year.
Due to the importance and need for such a position to be unbiased, the Business Manager is required to be largely non-partisan in Student Senate business.
Josh Lopresti
Historian
The Historian of the Student Senate is responsible for writing and maintaining the minutes of Student Senate meetings, and the minutes of Student Activity Fee Committee meetings. The Historian also acts as a resource for historical knowledge and insight for past sessions of the Student Senate and works closely with the University Archivist to maintain its historical records.
Due to the importance and need for such a position to be unbiased, the Historian is required to be largely non-partisan in Student Senate business.
USNH Board Representative
The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) is New Hampshire's central network of publicly owned universities. Every school in the System is afforded two student delegates to represent the student bodies at each school to the USNH Board of Trustees. The undergraduate USNH Board Representative for UNH is a member of the Student Senate, and is assisted by two Advisors, who assist them in representing UNH students to the Board of Trustees.
MJ Condon
USNH Board Representative
The USNH Board Representative for undergraduate UNH students is the student body's primary voice to the University System of New Hampshire (USNH).
Every USNH school (Keene State College, Granite State College, Plymouth State University, and the University of New Hampshire) is afforded two student delegates to represent the student bodies at each school to the USNH Board of Trustees and is elected every year concurrently with each school's Student Body President. Every two years on a rotating basis, each schools' student delegates become full-fledged Student Trustees, with the same privileges and voting powers as any other Trustee. The undergraduate USNH Board Representative for UNH is a member of the Student Senate, and is assisted by two Advisors, who assist them in representing UNH students to the Board of Trustees.
Michael DiSisto
Senior Financial Advisor
michael.disisto@unh.edu
The Senior Financial Advisor is the USNH Board Representative's primary advisor on matters of student tuition and mandatory fees. The Senior Financial Advisor assists the USNH Board Representative in carrying out the duties of their office and helps them to organize initiatives and proposals to manage increases in student tuition and changes to mandatory fees. The Senior Financial Advisor is the chairperson of the Financial Affairs Committee (FAC) of the Student Senate. The Senior Financial Advisor, assisted by FAC, annually reviews changes in mandatory fees on the student body and submit these changes to the Student Senate for its approval or disapproval, which in turn is handed to the USNH Board of Trustees as the official opinion of the UNH undergraduate student body.
The Senior Financial Advisor is appointed by the USNH Board Representative, and must receive the advice and consent of the Student Senate.
