The Student Government Association Senate lost seven members last semester due to senators transferring to other institutions, failing to meet grade point average requirements and acquiring conflicting class schedules. The SGA picks senators based on their college of study. There are three vacant positions in the College of Arts and Sciences, one in the College of Business Administration, three in the College of Education, one in the College of Nursing and Allied Health and four in University College. The SGA is also seeking four senators-at-large, four freshmen senators and four Supreme Court members.

The senate, whose goal is to ensure students’ needs are met, serves as the intermediary between faculty and staff, Brittany Taraba, SGA vice president, said. As the voice of the student body, it sets out to make sure that students’ problems are resolved.

“The senate can run effectively with the number of senators we have now,” Ryan Donegan, SGA president, said. “However, a full senate makes for more diverse and fruitful discussions.”

So far this semester, only one person turned in an application to fill the empty senate seats, Taraba said.

“It’s hard to say when the senate will be filled. The SGA anticipates it will be filled in the next two weeks,” Donegan said.

The SGA is seeking student applicants who have a resume, carry seven or more hours, are in the academic college in which they are applying for, have at least a 2.25 GPA with a 2.0 semester GPA and are not on academic or disciplinary probation.

“We need people who are keeping their grades up and are able to make meetings,” Taraba said. “We are looking for students who are willing to do work and willing to talk to students.”

Positions for the Supreme Court are also available to students who are enrolled in seven or more hours for the fall and spring semesters, have completed at least 45 credit hours, have attended Nicholls for at least one full semester, carry at least a 2.5 GPA while maintaining a 2.0 semester GPA, are not on academic or disciplinary probation and are not active members of SGA or Student Programming Association Executive Board or SGA Senate.

Despite the vacant senate seats, Donegan said student involvement in the senate has not suffered.

“We have seen constant increase in student involvement in the senate,” Donegan said. “The current vacancies are just normal semester-to-semester losses.