Moving on From Here...

At Monday's Senate meeting, I was sworn in as the SGA President for
the remainder of the year. Also at the meeting, my two choices for the
vacant VP positions were confirmed. Dave Indek will be the new Executive
Vice President and James McCauley will be the new VP for Student Orgs. In
addition to this, Rahilla Tarfa was selected by the Senate to be the new
Speaker, while Jen Kent retained her post as Assistant Speaker.

First off, I want to commend Steve for the courage and resolve he showed
in handling the situation tonight. After all that's gone on, it was
fitting that he left the room to a round of applause from those present. I
hope everyone looks back on his time in the SGA and sees all the good he
did for students, not what happened over the past week.

That said, I think everyone is ready to put all the unpleasantness of the
past week behind us and move on to our plans for the spring semester. I
know there will be a bit of a learning curve for those of us who have been
put into new positions as we get used to our new responsibilities, and I
ask that you have patience with us while we get adjusted to our new roles.
However, that will not stop us from continuing to work for students, and I
expect everyone in the SGA to continue to work on their projects and
initiatives. I've held the Senate to a high standard in my time as
Speaker, and as President I will hold the entire SGA to a high standard,
because I know you are all good enough to be held to a higher standard
than the average SGA. We have a lot of projects that are ongoing right
now, and it needs to be our priority to finish those projects in the
remaining three months of our terms.

I want to ensure everyone that the SGA is not going to go downhill from
here. I won't let it. I sure as hell ain't going to coast for the rest of
the year. Too many students have placed their faith in us that we will
serve them and make this university the best that it can possibly be, and
I would not be able to live with myself if I disappointed them by not
doing the best job I can. We have a lot of talented and passionate people
in this organization that are ready with ideas to serve students. We can
show the people that have doubted the strength of the SGA over the past
few days that we can rise above any pitfall that we come across and come
out the other side stronger than ever.

The excitement from the retreat just two weeks ago gave me a huge burst of
energy to finish out my time in the SGA at full blast. I hope everyone can
channel that energy and make the spring semester one to remember. The
folks at the Senate meeting tonight were very excited about the
possibilities that await us in the upcoming weeks, and I hope all of you
can feel that way too.

Change has obviously come to the SGA, but I hope we can move forward from
here and continue to do our jobs for the students of UMBC and make for the
best undergraduate experience possible. I am excited to work with all of
you.

-Gabe Rettaliata