The University Judiciary Committee elected Katie Graney, a third-year Engineering student, as chairwoman last night, as well as the three vice-chairs of the UJC Executive Committee.
"It will be a very exciting committee to work with," Graney said. "Lots of new faces mean lots of new opinions and experience."
Committee members also elected fourth-year Education student Mary Ellen Bizzarri the new vice-chair for trials, second-year College student Alexis Gregorian the new vice-chair for first years and third-year College student Sandy McArthur the new vice-chair for sanctions.
"It's a great group," McArthur said. "We are excited to be working together."
Graney, Gregorian and McArthur all ran unopposed and committee members elected them unanimously. Bizzarri, incumbent vice chair for trials, won reelection over third-year College student Michael Wall.
The four students will head a group of predominantly new committee members. Bizzarri is the only returning UJC member this year.
All four newly elected executives expressed excitement at the chance to serve and focus on specific objectives for the committee.
"This is why I ran to be a judge," Gregorian said. "I feel it's the heart of UJC."
Furthering UJC progress on reforming the state hazing statute, an effort UJC has been working on for some time, served as a common goal of the newly elected committee.
"We need to work hard to get rid of the statute," McArthur said. "We shouldn't tie judges' hands."
Enhancing education marks another issue on which several new executive committee members plan to focus.
"I feel like we can stop a lot of problems before they start," Graney said.
Bizzarri expressed similar sentiments.
"It would be great if we could get more students to initiate cases instead of administrators," she said.
New executives also said they want to continue work on extending the statute of limitations in assault cases, another long running UJC project.
All committee members were present for elections though only a three-quarters majority of members is required to attend. A simple majority must approve all executive committee members.
The four judges will make up the voting part of the executive committee. Two first-year judges, and three other judges selected by the chairwoman and vice-chairs, will round out the executive committee.
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