The academic chair of the ASUO Senate resigned Thursday to focus on her studies.
Senior Suzie Giacomelli was elected last year to represent the School of Journalism and Communication on the Senate, but said she was finding it difficult to balance student government with other responsibilities.
“I found ASUO to be just a huge time commitment,” Giacomelli said.
In addition to her undergraduate coursework, Giacomelli cited her job at the University’s School of Law and her applications to law school as reasons for leaving the Senate. She took the Law School Admissions Test on Saturday.
As academic chair, Giacomelli was instrumental in pushing for the creation of a Senate Committee on Ethics and Efficiency to provide the ASUO with a moral compass and also developed revised rules for the ASUO’s governing documents. She was unable to attend the two Senate meetings that preceded her resignation.
“I am very sad to see Suzie go,” Senate President Alex McCafferty wrote in an e-mail. “She worked very hard and always had good input during Senate discussions.”
Giacomelli’s position is open to all students majoring in journalism who have paid their institutional fees. McCafferty said the ASUO will begin advertising her position during winter term.
“I can only hope that we can find someone who was half as respectful and creative as Senator Giacomelli,” Senate Vice President Emma Kallaway wrote in an e-mail.
[email protected]