SGA Senate Recap: September 28, 2026
By Paul Manetto
The first Student Government Association Senate meeting of the year was one of tradition, formality, and procedure.
Begun in prayer by Father Ceslaus, O.P., the SGA chaplain, the group prayed for the intercession of St. Thomas Becket, known for his courageous stand against King Henry II. Following the prayer, the 22 newly elected senators took the oath of office, swearing to “abide by the governing documents of the Student Government Association” and “to promote the interests and welfare of the undergrad students at CUA.”
Student Body President and long-time senator Jack Hermes then gave welcoming remarks, a tradition of the first senate meeting. His speech reflected his love for the chamber, his favorite aspect of the SGA, and concluded by encouraging senators to bring guests to witness CUA’s democratic process.
The first order of business was the confirmation of freshman class Treasury Board representative Keaghan Brogdon, who was confirmed by a vote of 22-0. The senate then proceeded with a largely formal “housekeeping” bill, sponsored by class of 2027 senator Owen Lee, designed to streamline the committee work of the chamber into three separate committees: Rules and Administration, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs. The motion carried by the same margin.
The only resolution for debate that night was Resolution 1 – Proper Draft Beer Service at Murphy’s Pub. Sponsored by School of Theology Senator Joshua Ortiz, the bill addresses concerns of a lack of quality in the beer served at Murphy’s, especially since students use their own money to pay for it. The bill would allow students who feel their beer is below industry standards and who did not request it to be prepared in such a way not to be charged for the product. Ortiz drew on his own experience working a bar for the past two years, and reiterated that the service was one being paid for out of pocket by students, not provided under meal deals or dining dollars. Several senators raised questions on how to determine if a beer was substandard, with Ortiz replying that it would be on an honor code and self-explanatory. The resolution once again passed unanimously, 22-0.
The final order of business was selecting committee chairs, each of whom must be nominated by a fellow senator. Senator Ortiz nominated Senator Lee for the chair of the Rules Committee, which also made him the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Senator Lee was unanimously confirmed for the role. The senate then selected Senator Ortiz as chair of the Committee on Academic Affairs and School of Architecture and Planning Senator Luc Vanraes as chair of the Committee on Student Affairs, both of whom were confirmed 22-0.
The session concluded with Vice President Brinkley Colquitt asking to meet with the newly elected chairs and requesting bill sponsors to remain behind for a publicity video.
