Brittni Lipscomb, communicative disorders senior from Gonzales, resigned from the position of Student Government Association vice president on Nov. 10 at midnight.Lipscomb left the SGA for personal reasons. Olinda Ricard, SGA vice president pro tempore and culinary arts senior from Thibodaux, assumed the office of vice president on Nov. 11, according to Damian Breaux, SGA president.”Through our constitution, the vice president replaces the president and the vice president pro tempore replaces the vice president,” Breaux said. “The Senate elects a new vice president pro tempore.”
Breaux said that the Senate usually chooses a veteran senator to take on the vice president pro tempore role.
“We usually hold them to the same requirements of the vice president should the vice president have to leave,” Breaux said.
Ricard will hold the position for the rest of Lipscomb’s term, which lasts until the end of the spring semester.
“I’m excited,” Ricard said. “It’s a new challenge and a lot for me to learn. The opportunity to have greater responsibility is really great.”
Lipscomb believes that Ricard is capable of replacing her as vice president.
“When Olinda first came to the SGA, she showed strong leadership skills,” Lipscomb said. “I know she is capable of the job, and I wish her good luck.”
Ricard said that she thought about running for vice president during the spring 2005 semester, but decided not to when she heard Lipscomb would run. Ricard said she was possibly going to run in the spring 2006 semester, but did not imagine she would be vice president this year.
“I knew that in case she (Lipscomb) was absent, I would have to take over,” Ricard said.
Breaux does not believe that having a new vice president will affect the business of the Senate.
“The vice president is usually there to chair the meeting and make sure work is being done in the committees,” Breaux said. “At this time in the semester, the chairs are working as a well-oiled machine.”
Ricard said that she accepted the position of vice president pro tempore because she enjoys helping out.
“If I have the time, I’ll jump to the task,” Ricard said.
Ricard was not sure at first if she wanted to accept the vice president position because she said that she is a vocal senator and would have to give up some of her voice to be the vice president.
“There are other ways for me to get my voice across,” Ricard said.
Ricard would like to see senators more united at Senate meetings and get to know the student body better while she is vice president.
“We really don’t know each other very well,” Ricard said. “I would like for the students to really get to know us by being out in the union and being more vocal and active.”
Ricard, a non-traditional student, believes that her promotion to vice president is a symbol for all non-traditional students who take an active role in campus activities.
“A lot of the time, traditional students and the administration overlook us because we have a family,” Ricard said. “Non-traditional students really want to be a part of the campus. I have kids and I am very involved with things on campus. I’m trying to get the most out of my college experience.”
Ricard said she wants to let non-traditional students know that there are things that they can do that are not very time consuming, such as sitting on committees, that get them involved on campus.
The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute has only one senate position. The position became open when Ricard became vice president. Ricard wants to encourage culinary students to apply for the position.
