Approximately 60 students, Student Government members and administrators attended the 2006 SG inauguration of the 2006-2007 Executive Board, held in the I-Lounge Wednesday.
President Annette Ponnock was sworn in along with the other two members of her ticket, Kingshook De and Mike Beninati, vice president and treasurer, respectively. The 11-member E-Board was sworn in as a group by SG Supreme Court Chief Justice Kelly Calisto.
Ponnock discussed the role of Student Government and the goals set by the founding members of SG in her inauguration speech.
“It is our responsibility as elected student leaders of Student Government to keep those goals foremost in our minds and hearts in all we do,” she said after reading the preamble to the SG constitution.
Ponnock later discussed the concept of leading.
“We need to expand the definition of student leadership to encompass the entire student body because we are all leaders in our own right,” she said.
She also issued a challenge to the audience.
“Step up!” she said. “Hold yourself and everyone around you to a higher standard. Step up and create change where it is needed. Find the need and fill it.”
Outgoing President Pete Maki had a few words of advice in his opening remarks for the incoming e-board.
“Take your jobs very seriously, but not yourselves,” Maki said. “You’ll have a lot more fun.”
In an interview with The Hurricane after the event, Maki said he was proud of the new e-board. He also said their diversity will give Ponnock the best opportunity to interact with student organizations and students in general as well as participate in school events.
After the inauguration, a measure was introduced to create a new e-board position, executive-at-large, external. The proposal failed to pass in the Senate meeting.
Later in the evening SG held a banquet in the Hurricane 100 room of the BankUnited Center.
Greg Linch can be contacted at g.linch@umiami.edu.