Nicholls Student Government Association is implementing structural changes after a constitutional amendment was approved in the fall by 66% of student voters.
On Oct. 24, SGA President Cruz Cassard announced that the fall 2025 constitutional amendment passed. The amendment renamed three senate positions, created four new roles and placed limits on the number of senators representing each college. It also changed the size and election method of the judicial branch.
According to Cassard, the need for restructuring roles and creating new ones arose from the inability to fill existing positions.
“To figure out which positions would be popular with students, my administration engaged in robust strategic discussions with students to determine areas on campus that needed representation,” Cassard said.
“Luckily, we were able to establish new positions such as the campus dining senator, the residential living senator and many more.”
The amendment created four new senate roles: campus dining senator, residential living senator, international senator and first-generation senator.
Three existing positions were renamed. Coastal preservation senator replaced graduate senator, religious life senator replaced athletics senator and campus dining senator replaced the student organizations senator.
As of February, all of the new and restructured positions have been filled. The newly appointed senators include Dani Thibodaux, coastal preservation; Eurico Cosme Da Silva Neto, international; Anjolie Bourg, first generation; Hannah Thomas, residential living; Brice Austin, library services; Finnley Schuster, campus dining; and Maverick Dufrene, religious life.
Initially, the proposed amendment received pushback, both internally and externally, according to SGA Vice President Adriana Magallon.
“People outside of SGA wanted to know why we would change something that’s ‘working’,” Magallon said. “But a lot of people had to be invited in to see that it hasn’t been working. People either felt strongly enough to come to talk to us about it, or they did not. But everyone who came to talk to us received an understanding. Even if they agreed to disagree.”
Magallon said the amendment was also influenced by logistical challenges during meetings. Tables were often filled with senators, while some crucial positions remained vacant. This left limited seating in the SGA meeting space.
“As you can see, we’re running out of space as it is,” Magallon said while motioning to the tables lining the SGA walls. “So adding all of the new positions wouldn’t have worked. With how our campus has changed, everything’s evolved. It was really important to drill in something specific.”
While Greek Life Senator Jaiden Valure agreed with the addition of the newly proposed positions, he said he felt initial unease about the amendments.
“I was one of the very first opponents to the bill. I wanted the new senator spots in, but I didn’t like the way it was being sent out,” Valure said. “It came up so fast.”
After discussing the proposal with colleagues and Cassard, Valure said he began to view the amendment as a compromise.
“While I would love a 60-member senate, I don’t think it’s feasible right now,” Valure said.
“I concluded that while it may not be perfect, it’s the best way to move forward. The old positions we had were not being filled, so revitalizing our senate is something we needed to do. I’ve seen immediate action from our new senators, and they’re doing their job very well.”
