Belmont’s Student Government Association President Disha Patel resigned from her post, leaving Vice President Kaelinn Sabline-Schlusse to fill the presidency.
Sabline-Schlusse will remain president until the end of the spring semester, as directed by the SGA constitution.
Patel, a senior legal studies major, resigned after being accepted to Belmont College of Law.
"My schedule was really busy, and I felt like I would put a lot of burden on my cabinet and wouldn't be beneficial to anyone in SGA or the student body,” she said.
Patel said she was leaving SGA in good hands.
“I felt more than confident because I know Kaelinn's abilities, and I know she's more than capable of accomplishing all the goals that we ran our campaign on," Patel said. “Every one of them are more than capable of accomplishing everything that they put their mind to. And I know they are good representation for the student body.”
Keidron Turner, a senior politics and public law major and SGA senator, was grateful for the work Patel did as president.
“I’m very sad to see Disha step down as president, but I’m grateful to see that she’s moving on to bigger and greater things within her academic career! Getting accepted to Belmont Law is a huge achievement! I’ve known Disha since freshman year, and I can tell you that she’s one of the most knowledgeable and passionate advocates for the students here at Belmont,” Turner said in an email to the Vision.
Turner is optimistic about the change in leadership and the new student representation.
“I wish she had more time to accomplish the goals she had as SGA president, but I’m confident that SGA will continue to progressively change and thrive under its new leadership,” he said.
SGA chief of staff Stephen Malone declined to comment on Patel’s resignation.
According to Article 2, Section 10 of the SGA constitution, a vacancy in the office of the vice president is filled by an appointment from the student body president and confirmed by a two-thirds majority in the senate. An appointment for the vacant vice presidential role has not yet been made.
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PHOTO: SGA offices in the Beaman Isaac Wetzel/Belmont Vision
This article was written by Braden Simmons