Speaker Noah Star and Parliamentarian Dana Leinbach gave the final updates of their terms at Wednesday night's Associated Student Government Senate meeting before their successors were sworn in.
Junior Noah Whinston took over Star's position as speaker, and Leinbach swore in Matt Clarkston, also a junior, as parliamentarian.
Star spoke about initially hating Senate when he was a sophomore, but then said he grew to be more vocal in its initiatives and processes.
“I didn't expect when I ran for this position that I would enjoy it as much as I have," he said. "Collectively, we've made a really great space this year and I hope that we can continue with that."
Leinbach drew laughs from attendees when she read quotes from notes she took her freshman year in the Senate. She ended on a more serious note.
"My advice to you is to take your work seriously, but not yourself; make friendships, not compacts; and take time to find where your talents and skills will be of the best use," she said.
The Senate also elected Leinbach, a senior, and freshman Nehaarika Mulukutla, a senator, to the selection committee for the new executive board. Leinbach and Mulukutla will interview the candidates and read their applications during the selection process, which takes place after the election of the president and vice president of ASG.
Leinbach has served in ASG for four years as a senator, and most recently as parliamentarian. Mulukutla is a senator who has experience on the rules committee and election commission.
The Senate voted on several items, including passing a resolution to support the academic committee's course reduction initiatives. The resolution recommends, based on a report from the academic committee, reducing the graduation requirement for the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences from 45 classes to 42.
"This is something that has been on the minds of various administrators," said Senator Lauren Thomas, a Weinberg sophomore. "This is already something that is going forward. This is just showing them what is ASG's opinion and that it is something that the students want."
The Senate also passed a resolution supporting the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, which would let tax-exempt charitable and educational organizations make grants to not-for-profit, non-university owned student housing groups. This would allow groups like fraternities and sororities to receive grants and potentially lower housing costs for student residents.
They also passed a resolution ratifying the charter for the Coalition of Chicago Colleges and Universities, a group that advocates for student interests in Chicago, and officially added Northwestern as a member.
The Wild Ideas Fund, after a passing vote by the Senate, allocated $710 to the Voyeur Theatre Collective for publicity-related costs for their performance in June and $575 to the NU Sailing Team's fundraising event "Sail with a Sailor."
The vice president of A-status funding, junior Mackenzie Schneider, also announced that Dance Marathon has qualified as an A-status group.