SUNY Buffalo State’s United Student Government held it’s weekly meeting on February 24 in the Student Union’s Social Hall. They discussed the search for the next director of Student Life, trial cases involving campus organizations, appointed four students into the senate and appointed Alicea Arias as administrative vice president (AVP) for campus affairs and government relations.

Sara Velez, director of the Student Union, said they are searching for the next director of student life.

“It’s a position important to USG and has always worked closely with the organization,” Velez said.

Two of the candidates have already given their presentation and two more are left to go before one is chosen.

She also added that students are welcomed and encouraged to attend future campus presentations of the candidates that have applied to the position.

At the meeting, Dyllan Wloch, chief justice on the judicial council, discussed court cases involving campus organizations that have had verdicts this semester, such as NSTA v. USG and USG v. the men’s and women’s rugby teams.

Wloch said the men’s and women’s rugby teams had a grievance filed against them by Associate Vice President Emily Leminger, which was given directly to USG by Charles Kenyon, associate vice president for Dean of Students. A video was submitted to USG and viewed by the executive board of the men’s and women’s rugby team at a party.

“There was drinking, there was loud swearing, there was loud chanting,” Wloch told USG. “It was a party, but it was outdoors in public and it was in view of everybody.”

The judicial council ruled that the men’s and women’s rugby teams were in violation of two separate parts of the USG constitution, where no USG organization should engage in detrimental activities or through any form of hazing and all organizations need to abide by USG alcohol guidelines.

The verdict for this case was the men’s and women’s rugby teams have to commit to 25 hours of community service for each member on the team, they have to attend an alcohol information session, and the teams budget will be frozen by 10 to 12 percent.

“In the long run it could’ve been much worse,” Wloch said. “The constitution says if an organization is in violation of one or more of those sections than they can be unrecognized.”

Wloch also said that another trial will take place on Thursday involving USG v. French Club.

Arias gave a speech on why she should be the next AVP for campus affairs and government relations.

Arias said she chose to run for this position because she feels that a lot of organizations on campus don’t feel appreciated by USG or that USG doesn’t feel that organizations are doing all that’s expected of them.

“I will make sure that both sides will be communicating effectively and messages are being received and sent both ways,” Arias said.

Arias was voted for AVP for campus affairs and government relations.

Towards the end of the meeting, Tori Brown, Gizelle Huntley, Mabel Arias and Aminata Keira were sworn in as senators.