After opening nominations to seven eligible members, Nilah Pollard was voted unanimously as interim treasurer for the Student Government Association at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
On Monday, SGA heard nominations to fill the treasurer vacancy and decided through an in-house vote. Lyndsay Brown, a senator and academic affairs commissioner for SGA, nominated Pollard because of her commitment to SGA.
“Not only have I seen Sen. Pollard be so very dedicated to SGA, but according to our eligibility law she was one of the ones that stepped up and had a true vision for her plans of being treasurer,” Brown said. “So I felt that it was only correct to nominate her and give her the opportunity to show her leadership skills.”
Although senators Christian James and Ja’Naya Woodard were also nominated, both declined due to scheduling conflicts. As SGA treasurer, the person in the position must attend meetings for the Organizational Relief Fund to fulfill this role.
Other treasurer duties include updating SGA on the expenditure and the funds in the speaker budget, Hannah Davis said.
“As the treasurer of SGA, you deal with all the internal funds and you work alongside our adviser Mary-Katherine Maggio who does all of our fiscal affairs,” Davis, vice president for SGA, said.
During her nomination speech, Pollard addressed her intent to fill the position. “It feels so unreal to say that I have been a part of SGA since my freshman year, which has given me the distinct privilege to witness its growth to what it is today,” Pollard said. “If elected to serve as your interim treasurer, I will first be proactive in ensuring that SGA funds are allocated appropriately and effectively to meet our organization’s needs.”
Pollard shared her ideas of educating Recognized Student Organizations on the ORF grants and reaching out to local speakers to support speakers in the area and cut costs.
“The first step is educating ourselves on local speakers within the Ark-La-Tex region,” Pollard said. “By identifying experts based on the topics we need, we can make informed decisions that maximize resources, reducing reliance on costly speakers from out of state while supporting our local community.”
Pollard is also working with Sen. Cecelia Warren on a project in collaboration with the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts to design two community mailboxes for students to write messages to express their opinions. “We are working with CAPA to design and construct these mailboxes, ensuring they are both functional and engaging,” she said.
By assuming the role of interim treasurer, Pollard becomes part of SGA’s cabinet and leaves her previous position as senator-at-large and a vacancy in the senate.
“Although it was unexpected, I am grateful to serve SGA and the student body in this capacity. I am committed to providing service rooted in humility, integrity and excellence, always realizing that service is a privilege, especially service to the NSU community,” she said.
At SGA’s meeting, Woodard also announced a vacancy for a senator in the College of Education and Human Development. Interested students can reach out to any SGA member. To view the full minutes of the meeting check out SGA’s profile on Purple Portal.
