A power struggle is evident in the early relationship between next year’s ASWSU executives and Senate.

While the executives and Senate members were cordial during Thursday’s ASWSU inauguration, the events of Wednesday’s 39th Senate meeting were anything but.

In its second official meeting on Wednesday, next year’s ASWSU Senate was set to confirm the Executive Board as nominated by ASWSU President Derick En’Wezoh and and Vice President Jay Hendrickson, respectively.

The Senate decided, on a two-thirds vote, to ignore En’Wezoh and Hendrickson’s recommendations for the director of philanthropy and community outreach.

As a result, Edison Kent was not confirmed for the position, leaving the spot empty during Thursday’s ASWSU Inauguration.

“This is a group of individuals who want to play Senate,” En’Wezoh said. “This is not a service to the students – this in an injustice to the students. They are criticizing my and Jay’s decisions.” Riley Myklebust, the newly elected Senate Pro Tempore, said it is the Senate’s duty to decide if the members of the executive board are the best candidates.

“There were a lot of people to confirm, and it is the Senate’s job to hold people accountable, and they have every right to approve or not approve based on the questions they ask and the resumes that are turned in,” Myklebust said.

Myklebust declined to say why Kent was not approved.

Outgoing ASWSU President Brandon Scheller said he insisted last year that the Senate approve his executive board as a group because of all the time he and former ASWSU Vice President Adam Fry-Pierce spent compiling the team.

This year, however, the Senate interviewed each candidate for a few minutes, then went into executive session for discussion. When they returned from executive session, they passed all but three candidates.

Next, senators zeroed in on Joshua Meyer, nominated for chief of staff; Joshua Hart, nominated for director of student affairs; and Edison Kent. After voting individually for each, Kent was the only one denied a position.

En’Wezoh said it seemed as though members of the Senate were focusing on a few people to make a point.

“I can’t support targeting individuals for the sake of targeting them,” he said. “This is a test as to our commitment to the students. Jay and I have already passed one of these tests – that was the re-election.” En’Wezoh said he imagined his staff would undergo more than one test in the year to come, and they will continue to emerge as champions for the students.

Myklebust said it is unfortunate that if the Senate does not approve an executive board member, everyone gets mad. The Senate is on the same level of power as the executives, he said.

“It is expected that we will confirm people, and we went against the social norm,” Myklebust said. “Was it bad? No, but it does create more work for the executives.” En’Wezoh told Kent after the meeting that he would retain his position.

“Whether or not the Senate confirms him, I will take money out of my salary to pay for Ed’s,” En’Wezoh said. “We will not bow down to the Senate.” Kent reportedly helped organize up to 300 hours of community service for his Greek chapter and helped raise up to $500 for its philanthropy.

The Senate made the wrong decision, he said.

“I wish I could sit down with each one of them individually and argue for why I want this position,” Kent said.

President: Derick En’Wezoh Vice President: Jay Hendrickson Chief of Staff: Joshua Meyer Director of Student Affairs: Joshua Hart Director of Greek Affairs: Chase Gunnell Director of Multicultural Affairs: Megan Crenshaw Director of Residence Affairs: Spenser Phelan Director of Campus Relations: Scott Shigeoka Director of Philanthropy and Community Outreach: Edison Kent, not confirmed by Senate Director of Marketing and Programming: Molly Aigner Director of Academic and Administrative Affairs: Melissa Darnell Director of Finance and Grant Research: Morgan McClincy Director of Operations and Committee Oversight: Jake Bredstrand Director of Legislative Affairs: Temporarily Unfilled