SA Senate Faces Resignation, Finance Board Debate

By Lucienne Burns | October 6, 2025 

The Student Association Senate held its first meeting of October last Wednesday (10/1). 

Photo Credit: Lucienne Burns | The ASP

The University at Albany Student Association Senate’s fifth meeting entailed an additional resignation and debate over appointments to the Board of Finance, prompting larger discussions of decorum and respect within the chamber. 

Two new senators were sworn in at the beginning of the meeting, followed by an announcement of an additional resignation. 

During opening remarks, Vice Chair Jonah Martinez stressed the importance of not staying past midnight, along with issues regarding decorum, like members of the public and senators walking around during the meetings. 

In addition, Senator Martinez read a resignation letter from Senate Clerk Addison Schrader, citing the Senate environment as a factor in her resignation.

“While I’ve had the privilege of working with passionate individuals in SA, I have also been met with an alarmingly toxic environment during my time,” Schrader expressed in the letter read aloud by Martinez. “Far too often, the Senate meetings have become a space for members to become disrespectful, accusatory, and undermining to others.” 

Schrader’s resignation follows that of two senators at last week’s meeting (9/24) who cited similar reasoning. 

“I said I wasn’t going to get emotional while reading that, but it really does paint the picture of where we are right now and what we need to do to improve,” Martinez said. “And I think that we can all come to that together now that we’ve seen this as an example.”

Additionally, the Board of Finance nominations were moved to be considered higher up in the meeting’s agenda. 

The bill was passed appointing the Senate Chair’s nominees to the Board of Finance. Senators Ethan Kavalunus, Sam Lo Cigno and Evan Reilly will serve on the board for the remainder of the academic year. 

The Senate went into executive session for a discussion regarding President Pettit’s appointees to the Board of Finance, during which members of the public and the press are not allowed to attend. 

“I do believe that the press should be here, and I think that they should be hearing what we’re debating,” said Senator Maceo Foster. “I think that the press’ ability to report on what’s happening in this room is vital, and that goes to why I objected to executive session in the first place.”

The Board of Finance appointments have appeared a prominent topic due to a constituent’s concern over fairness and transparency following her rejection from the position. Two members of the public spoke on this constituent’s behalf during public comment. 

The executive session lasted over an hour, ultimately appointing Angie Moreno Sosa and Addison Yang to the Board of Finance.

Following the executive session, senators expressed a need for improved decorum. 

“I wanted to state how truly disappointed I am in this body and how disappointed I am in how we address things and how we are acting as people,” said Senator Abdul Kablaoui. 

Senator Grace Augenstern concurred, acknowledging a pattern of this type of environment in the Senate, noting that nothing can actually be accomplished without change. 

“I think that unless we start changing things now, we’re going to have one awful year,” Augenstern said, “and you’re not going to be able to do what all of us are supposed to be here to do, which is serve the students…but if we don’t start treating each other with a tiny bit more basic human decency and respect, we’re never going to get anywhere with any of that.” 

The entirety of the legislative agenda was not completed as the time ran out, but nominations for two committees, the Appropriations and Ethics Committees were confirmed. In addition, there was a motion to have executive reports written.

The appointments to the Oversight of Government Operations (OGO), Rules and Administration and Executive committees were all tabled to take place at next week’s meeting (10/8).