CSG holds elections, passes resolutions for the Winter 2025 CSG Budget

The University of Michigan Central Student Government met Tuesday evening in the Michigan Union to make judicial appointments and pass resolutions including the Winter 2025 CSG Budget and funding for the Maize and Blue Cupboard. 

The meeting began with an election to choose an individual for the judicial appointment committee. The committee will help find a new justice to serve on the Central Student Judiciary, the judicial branch of CSG. The nominees, Rackham student Erin Neely and Law student Vincent Pinti presented speeches to the Assembly. Neely, current vice chair of the Rules Committee, discussed how her current experiences on CSG would qualify her for the position. 

“I’m familiar with how the CSG legal and ethical processes play out,” Neely said. “I can be a rules-oriented person and I would definitely demand legal competence in any prospective judicial nominee.”  

Neely also described her personal approach to law, emphasizing her commitment to both the legal process and emotionally-intelligent decision making. 

“I do have respect for the law, respect for CSG law,” Neely said. “But those of you who know me, I hope you would know me well enough to know that I also would not let rules and laws get in the way of basic morality or common sense.” 

Pinti, who emphasized his experience as a law student, discussed his passion for student civil rights and accessibility. 

 “I care a lot about civil rights,” Pinti said. “My whole goal in life is to be a disability rights advocate … and I’m definitely a big believer in free speech and the right of students to be fully fundable.”  

In a vote of 20 for, seven against and one abstention, Pinti won the judicial appointment committee nomination. 

The Assembly then moved on to the election for the chair of the finance committee, with nominees Rackham student Angelica Previero, LSA freshman Tyler Hart and Engineering sophomore Nina Clark.

Previero highlighted how her current position as president of the Rackham Student Government gave her experience managing the financial aspect of student government. 

“As the president, it’s also my responsibility to have a sense of what is happening with the money,” Previero said. In leadership positions, you’re at the very top but also at the very bottom because it’s also your responsibility to really catch anything that is not happening that should happen.” 

In Hart’s speech, he listed his work as the CSG DEI coordinator, Oxford Residence Hall president and work at a non-profit as reasons to support his candidacy. 

“I already am your DEI coordinator so I understand how CSG leadership works and how to work with other representatives to get things done,” Hart said. “I work as the Oxford dorm hall president, where I allocate a budget for student activities. I also have experience from working in financing with a non-profit back in high school.” 

Clark, in her speech, discussed her position as the current vice chair for finance and her plans to aid CSG interns and new officers in the finance committee. 

“I would want our interns to be fully included with all our processes, leadership meetings and more,” Clark said. “I would also like to ensure that every person coming into leadership regardless of past experience is comfortable and confident in their position.”

In a ranked-choice election, Hart was eliminated in round one with seven votes, while Clark and Previero moved on with nine and 11 respectively. Previero then won the election in a second round of voting with 16 for and 11 against. 

The Assembly also confirmed LSA sophomore Jessica Rehberg as communication director, LSA sophomore Aiden Burke as election director and Rackham student Mark Farag as vice chair of the conflict-affected and refugee education scholarship task force unanimously. 

The Winter 2025 CSG Budget, AR 14-062, passed with 26 for, one against and one abstention. Alongside the budget resolution, The Course Marking Implementation Act, AR 14-059; STV Tabulation Act, AR 14-064; LDA Motion- Black Excellence Gala Appropriations; Funding for the Maize and Blue Cupboard, AR AR 14-053; and Removing Communication Barriers Act, AR 14-057, all passed with unanimous consent.  

Daily Staff Reporter Grace Lee can be reached at graceyl@umich.edu. 

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