Student Council passed a resolution to recognize the loss of a member of the University community as well as a resolution to appoint a deputy chief of staff at their meeting last night.
Sponsored by Engineering Rep. Matthew White, the first resolution introduced called for Council's recognition of the death of first-year College student Lauren Munchak.
Munchak died of cancer March 5 at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
"The University of Virginia Student Council wishes to extend a sincere statement of loss with the death of Lauren Munchak and will seek to recognize such tragic events as being important to the student body in the future," the resolution read.
Council passed the resolution unanimously.
According to Council president Jequeatta Upton, Council will sign the resolution and send it to Munchak's family.
The second resolution introduced called for the appointment of Nicholas Jordan to the position of deputy chief of staff. The resolution provides for Jordan to hold the position until May 2006.
Jordan is currently the Fundraising Committee chair and was recently elected executive vice president in the spring elections.
The position of deputy chief of staff was created by a resolution amending the Council bylaws earlier this semester. This was done as a temporary measure in response to the resignation of Vice President of Administration Okey Udumaga, Upton said.
"We just needed someone in the interim so the committees could continue to do their work," she said, explaining the need for the temporary position.
The resolution cites Jordan's qualifications for the position, stating, "Nicholas Jordan is currently a committee chair under the administrative cabinet and understands the jobs of the committees very well."
Michael Winn, the representative from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, voiced criticism of the resolution at the meeting.
"I highly support [Jordan] doing this job," Winn said. "But [the resolution] puts more power into the hands of political appointees and moves Student Council away from being a group of equals. I say we need to move closer to being what a council is defined as -- a group of equals."
According to Upton, the Executive Board decided to appoint someone to the position rather than hold a special election in order to save time and promote efficiency.
"We've already changed the bylaws," she said. "There's only seven weeks of school left, so there's no point to hold a special election."
Once officers assume their newly-elected positions in April, the deputy chief of staff position will no longer be needed, Upton said. Jordan will assume the role of executive vice president, while Jeffrey McLaughlin will take office as VPA, as voted by the student body in the spring elections.
The resolution passed with one abstention by Engineering Rep. Pavan Gupta.Gupta could not be reached for comment.
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