Tuesday, April 28, the College of William and Mary’s Student Assembly convened and confirmed multiple cabinet and Review Board members, passed legislation on student engagement and elections and shared key executive updates.
Special Business
The SA Senate opened by swearing in members for the remaining unfilled cabinet positions.
The first was Sam Newell ’28, confirmed as Secretary of Public Affairs. This past year, he served as undersecretary.
Newell touched on his goals for the coming year, including a Homecoming reception with alumni in public affairs.
He also highlighted his aspirations for greater voter registration transparency among student clubs and organizations.
Jess Weidenbaum ’29 was confirmed as an Independent Elections Commission commissioner. She currently serves as Vice President of Academic Excellence for the College’s Panhellenic Council.
She applauded the current members for their commitment to upholding democracy and diversity on campus.
Marie-Delphine Alberts ’28 was confirmed as an IEC commissioner. She served on the IEC this past year.
“My main goal is to make sure there is always clear communication, because from the outside, the code is very complicated if you don’t look at it regularly like we do,” she said. “I want everyone to feel empowered to take part in Student Assembly, whether that’s as a candidate or as a voter.”
The senate also confirmed Annika Johnson ’28 as an IEC commissioner. She oversaw the fall 2025 and spring 2026 SA elections and serves as Panhellenic Vice President, where she works with judicial processes and bylaws.
“I feel as though my experience over the past year has prepared me well for another year,” she said.
Johnson said she is excited to “continue with this work,” and affirmed her intention to “increase transparency where we can.”
Dillon Wagner J.D. ’28 was confirmed as a Review Board member. Wagner emphasized his strong passion for upholding SA governing documents, remaining unbiased in cases and his membership on the Honor Appeals Board.
“I think this is a really excellent next step for me,” he said.
Jack Bryan ’29 was confirmed as a Review Board member. Bryan has previous experience with the Honor Council and serves as the vice president of standards for his fraternity.
“I really want to give back to the community,” Bryan said. “It’s really been a pleasure to be a part of William and Mary.”
Next, Sydney Bueno Linn ’29, a government and math major, was confirmed as a Review Board member. She previously participated in student government at her high school and is involved in an a capella group and a social sorority.
“I’d be a really valuable member on the Review Board,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot of differences between experiences, and that will help me bring a unique perspective to the Review Board.”
Jahnavi Putrevu ’29 was confirmed as a Review Board member. She highlighted her commitment to leading with integrity.
“Justice and compassion are two things that I believe are inherently intertwined,” she said.
Christina Wu ’27, a returning member of the Review Board, was reconfirmed. Wu discussed her experience as chair of the Conduct and Honor Advisor Program as a student defender and her familiarity with the College’s internal justice system.
“I have experienced working with a lot of different voices, a lot of perspectives, and I am excited to continue this opportunity,” Wu said.
Anna Nichols ’27 was confirmed as a Review Board member, noting her involvement in AMP, her participation in a democratic erosion research lab and her service as a peer advisor. She also highlighted her upcoming summer internship with the United States Attorney’s Office.
Old Business
The senate first discussed The OA Appreciation Act IV, sponsored by Sen. Quinn Clancey ’27. This bill allocates $1,500 from SA Reserves to cater a specialty coffee bar for orientation staff as a sign of gratitude.
The next bill discussed was the Bolstering Ethics of Election Fairness (BEEF) Act Part V, also sponsored by Clancey. The original language of clause V offered the IEC discretion to dictate the framing of questions on the ballot. Some senators argued this clause bestowed too much power, and it was rephrased to limit IEC authority. The revision allows the IEC to collaborate with the questioner to revise biased wording or clarify phrasing. Clancey specified the purpose of clause VI, which grants the IEC more leniency under unexpected circumstances, and stated that clause II will also be rephrased to limit the IEC’s power.
Clancey said that the petitioner would have the ultimate authority if they were unwilling to change the language of their question.
Former Sen. Nick DeSante ’26 asked whether the IEC would provide a disclaimer regarding the new policy.
Clancey said that the wording changes would be insignificant and that providing such a disclaimer would be menial.
“There’s a difference between you signing the question petition form and not binding you to vote in a specific direction,” he said. “That question is allowed to look different than it does on the actual ballot itself. There is no need to provide a disclaimer because that is implicit.”
The bill passed.
The Civic Leadership Week Act, sponsored by Sen. Neha Baskar ’29, class of 2028 President Devaughn Henry ’28, Sen. Nina Argel ’28 and class of 2029 President Daria Lesmerises ’29, would promote civic engagement among students through the organization of a Civic Leadership Week in September 2026. This will feature guests from NPR and a “Left, Right & Center” live event.
The bill passed.
The final bill discussed was the APO CART Act, sponsored by Lesmerises, with the intent of purchasing a new gas-powered golf cart for Alpha Phi Omega’s Escort Service. While questions emerged regarding electric options, it was specified that this was not a possibility due to short battery life during the winter.
The bill passed.
Executive Updates
SA President Nico Giro-Martin ’27 noted progress on cabinet confirmations and said that the cabinet is taking shape.
He also highlighted planning for freshman elections and mentioned holding interviews for undersecretary positions.
Giro-Martin discussed a public safety event that took place Wednesday, April 29, in collaboration with Associate Vice President for Public Safety Cliff Everton ’96 and Chief of the William and Mary Police Department Don Butler.
The Executive Board addressed updates on recent referendums, including a response from College President Katherine Rowe. Giro-Martin said this would be published in the SA newsletter. This statement was received and published by The Flat Hat.
Giro-Martin also mentioned the recent Board of Visitors meeting, specifically noting the Board’s decision to increase the undergraduate cost of attendance and former SA President Zoe Wang’s ’25 MPP ’26 final remarks.
