2018-19 USUSA officers – regional campuses and main campus alike – inaugurated in Logan
The Utah State University Student Association officers for the 2018-19 school year were inaugurated Friday – and for the first time ever were joined by all the incoming regional campus officers.
Mike Booth, the regional campus president, participated in the 2017 inauguration on campus. Former USUSA President Michael Scott Peters said he and the student involvement staff liked having Booth participate, so they decided to include the 18 other regional campus representatives this year as well.
Michael Scott Peters, the former USUSA president for the 2017-18 school year, swears in Jaren Hunsaker, the new USUSA president for the 2018-19 school year.
Booth, who was sworn in at the ceremony for a second year, said the decision was part of an effort to unify all of USUSA – to get rid of any perceived divide between Logan and the regional campuses.
“I’m really proud of everything that happened,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a great event moving forward.”
Peters echoed the feeling, saying it was a “step in the right direction” and a tradition he hopes will continue.
The decision to include the regional officers in the inauguration coincided with moving their training retreat – usually held in May – to this weekend, Peters said. Booth called it a “win-win.”
Between Booth and the other regional officers, they represent over 3,000 USU students at 32 sites across Utah.
The evening included speeches by USU student affairs vice president James Morales, Peters, Booth and new USUSA president Jaren Hunsaker. The newly elected student body officers from both Logan and regional campuses were announced and took their seats on the stage. Those for Logan replaced their predecessors one by one, but the 2017-18 regional officers were not able to attend. Booth said he would have liked to include them, but the schedules weren’t able to work out.
Peters swore in Hunsaker as the new president and immediately after, Hunsaker swore Booth in, followed by all present USUSA officers. Promises they swore to keep included upholding USU’s values and representing the university in a positive manner.
Peters said he is optimistic for the year ahead, and excited to see what Hunsaker does.
“It’s a bit emotional to have it come to an end,” Peters said, “but I’m very grateful for the team we’ve had this year, for all we were able to accomplish.”
Jaren Hunsaker, the USUSA president for the 2018-19 school year, addresses the audience at the inauguration Friday.
In addition to the USUSA officers, Peters said he was particularly proud of the work the President’s Cabinet accomplished. Events such as Aggie Heroes, he said, were focused on inclusion, exemplifying the student body theme he chose for 2017-18 that “everyone belongs.”
Hunsaker finished the evening with his first public speech as USUSA president. He said, “USUSA has one purpose, and that is to help the student body.”
The following changes were made to USUSA Executive Council:
- President Michael Scott Peters was replaced by Jaren Hunsaker
- Executive Vice President Blake Harms was replaced by Allie Haas
- Student Advocate VP Bridget Brown was replaced by Samuel Jackson
- Student Events VP Joseph Aratari was replaced by Meghan Tatom
- Activities Director Meghan Tatom was replaced by Rachel Larsen
- Arts and Lectures/Series Director Toryn Coombs was replaced by Max Heine
- Athletics and Campus Rec VP Jakob Ambuehl was replaced by Bannon Greer
- Organizations and Diversity VP Chelsea Yoshikawa was replaced by Joshua Johnson
- Service VP Todd Brown was replaced by Jenna Stoker
- Student Alumni VP Brendon Brady was replaced by Daria Griffith
- Administrative Assistant Dallin Johnson was replaced by Brooke Jorgensen
- Public Relations and Marketing Director Spencer Perry was replaced by Braxton Moon
The following changes were made to USUSA Academic Senate:
- Graduate Studies Senator Anuj Khasgiwala was replaced by Kristin Hall
- Agriculture and Applied Sciences Senator Heather Lieber was replaced by Dexton Lake
- Business Senator Cody Davis was replaced by Cameron Pitt
- CHaSS Senator Grant Bess was replaced by McKenna Allred
- Natural Resources Senator Rebecca Thomas was replaced by Mason Kemp
- Science Senator Travis Dowdle was replaced by Abigail Longaker
- Education and Human Services Senator Deidra Thomas was re-elected for a second term
- Arts Senator Sierra Wise was re-elected for a second term
- Engineering Senator Erik Olson was re-elected for a second term
The following changes were made to USU’s regional campus student government:
- Mike Booth was re-elected for a second term as Regional Campus President
- Kyle Dority was replaced by Casadee Christensen as Brigham City Executive VP
- Candace Dicks and Wesley Thompson were replaced by Adrienne Nelson and Hannah Callaway as Brigham City Representatives
- Heidi Shoell and Matt Burton was replaced by Rebecca Olson and Kim Bangerter as Kaysville Representatives
- Lacey Lewing was replaced by Sidni Braithwaite as Orem Representative
- Caleb Jensen was replaced by Yessenia Rea, while Koralene Tapoof was elected for a second term as Roosevelt Representative
- Hannah Tervort was elected for a second term as Southwest VP
- Donann Dutton was replaced by Josh Duncan as Southwest Representative
- Bobbie Booth was replaced by Michael Zwahlen as Tooele VP
- Sabrina Corpac was replaced by Hayden Bell as Tooele Representative
- Courtney Bjerke was replaced by Kelly Bjerke as Uintah Basin VP
- Steven Merrell and Roxanna Alcantra were replaced by Ryan Birch and Kaitlyn Powell as Vernal Representatives
- Daysha Talbert was sworn in as Moab Executive VP
- Ashley Angus was sworn in as Salt Lake City Executive VP
- Sharon Sipes was sworn in as Salt Lake City Representative
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