The University of North Florida’s Student Government Senate met this past Friday to officially install the winners of this year’s election and swear in a new senate president. The Senate also welcomed Nikul Patel, a member of the UNF Board of Trustees (BOT). 

The Nov. 14 meeting marked a significant transition for leadership in the SG Senate, bringing in a new cohort of senators and selecting the next Senate president.

Nine new senators, as well as five returning senators, were sworn in by Chief Justice Jacob Gordon at the meeting.

Nominees for Senate president, Sen. Benjamin Shmia and Sen. Kamyla Carrasquillo-Lebron, each gave a speech vouching for their candidacy. Fellow senators pointed out Shmia’s inconsistencies within his position, securing the win for Carrasquillo-Lebron as the next Senate president. 

Trustee Patel discussed the responsibilities of the BOT and answered questions about UNF’s presidential search, campus infrastructure plans, and his personal goals for UNF.

Installation of senators

Following the uncontested fall 2025 election, 14 senators were officially sworn into office during the meeting.

Below is the official list of new and returning senators, along with their party affiliation:

• Mariana Barnes (Talon)
• Kamyla Carrasquillo-Lebron (Talon)
• Alexa Dudkiewicz (Talon)
• Hunter Hayes (SAM)
• Kalillia Martinez (Talon)
• Audrey McGrath (Talon)
• Amy-Lee Murray (Talon)
• Algesia Pani (Talon)
• Benjamin Shmia (Independent)
• Winter Slaughter (SAM)
• Christian Snyder (Talon)
• Jacob Sumners (Talon)
• Jack Yanow (Talon)
• Brooke Yates (Talon)

Carrasquillo-Lebron, McGrath, Pani, Shmia, and Slaughter are returning senators, and the remaining senators are fresh to UNF SG.

Associate director Jason Edgar, who primarily acts as SG’s fiscal advisor, spoke directly to the new senators and offered them words of advice.

“We are here to help you, and I applaud you in what you have gone through, in what you’re going to go through many times,” said Edgar. “Hopefully not as long,” he joked, referencing the two-hour-long meeting. “I want to make sure that you really grasp the significance of what you’re doing here.”

New Senate president selected

Following Sen. McGrath’s announcement that she would be stepping down as SG Senate president, Sen. Carrasquillo-Lebron and Sen. Shmia were the two candidates for the position. 

Chair Hazel Joseph was nominated for this position at the last meeting, but declined the nomination.

Carrasquillo-Lebron’s Nomination

Carrasquillo-Lebron has served since the Fall 2023 semester, when she was sworn in as a senator under the Soar party. Since she took office, Carrasquillo-Lebron has held the position of chair of the Rules and Oversight (R&O) Committee and Senate Pro-Tempore. 

She also acted as vice chair for the Budget and Allocations (B&A) Committee and the University and Student Affairs (USA) Committee, as she explained during her candidacy speech.

In her speech, Carrasquillo-Lebron explained her goals as Senate president if nominated.

“My overall goals are to improve retention in senators, continuing the mentorship program, strengthening relationships between everybody, and keeping the senate running smoothly.”

The mentorship program she referenced refers to a program implemented by Carrasquillo-Lebron and McGrath to provide each new senator with an experienced senator mentee. 

Carrasquillo-Lebron also explained how she plans to increase student engagement.

“Another idea that I’ve been pushing is to increase student engagement at athletic events,” said Carrasquillo-Lebron. “Me and a couple of executive members did go and meet with the athletics director. There were also a lot of other student leaders there.”

Shmia’s Nomination

Shmia, a junior at UNF, has served within SG for three years, according to his speech. While he has not held any leadership positions within the senate, Shmia insisted his experience outside and inside the university prepared him for the role of senate president.

“I’ve had experience with all three committees over my past three years,” said Shmia. “I’ve requested multiple budget requests…been active in annual budget meetings…planned events for students, and I’ve listened to them to understand what they want from clubs and for student government.”

Other members of the senate body expressed concerns with Shmia’s inconsistency at SG events and even occasional contradictions within his speech.

“You said that time management would not be one of your issues,” said Chair Joseph. “However, in the past…I have noticed not seeing you in meetings or committee meetings.”

Chair Shipton MacDonald of the USA Committee also raised concerns about Shmia’s initiative to attend tabling events for SG.

“As someone who’s got a chair role and has spent a lot of time in the student union…you don’t table [for] student government,” said MacDonald.

Shmia continued to clarify that he tabled for other clubs and would delegate time for SG specifically on Market Days at the student union.

During the discussion, Sen. Slaughter also asked about Shmia’s plans to engage students in SG and involve others in Senate meetings and events. 

“I’d like to ensure that Spinnaker publishes every meeting every week so students know that they can come to senate meetings and listen to what senate has to say,” said Shmia.

In response, Sen. Slaughter clarified that SG can not mandate Spinnaker to publish their meetings or events.

“I would try to work with them…sit down with the Editor-In-Chief and try to explain to them that the way for the Senate to grow and to get better is for more students to engage and…I think they would understand it’s important for them to publish meetings,” said Shmia.

Shmia continued, blaming Spinnaker for the recent uncontested election.

“I would also like them to publish before an election that there is an election happening, as I know that they did not publish that and because of that, we had an uncontested election. I’m sure if Spinnaker had published that there is an election for senate happening, it would get far more people.”

Sen. Hayes, among other senators, pointed out the inconsistencies of Shmia’s claims during the discussion and clarified that Spinnaker did post before the Fall 2025 election.

“They [Spinnaker] have posted on the last three elections, at least,” said Hayes.

The Body Votes

Following a lengthy discussion between the body and Sen. Shmia, the voting members of the Senate, including the newly installed senators, chose Carrasquillo-Lebron as the next Senate president.

“I think she would be the most supportive for new senators coming in as well as for everyone else, as a leader,” said Chair MacDonald before casting his vote. 

Following Carrasquillo-Lebron’s victory, there is now a vacancy for Senate Pro-Tempore within SG. It is assumed there will be an emergency meeting held next month for the open position.

“Ideally, December 5th…we would have an emergency Senate meeting and be able to decide that,” said Sen. McGrath.

Sen. Slaughter, Sen. Castaneda, and Sen. Perez were nominated for the Senate Pro-Tempore position.

UNF Board of Trustees speaker

Patel, vice chair of the BOT, attended the recent Senate meeting and spoke to the senators about the duties of the board. The Senate body also posed questions to Patel, ranging from the presidential selection process to Patel’s personal ambitions for UNF. 

“It’s so much fun to see what we can actually change and effect,” said Patel. “UNF is great…and we want to make it better.”

In his opening remarks, Patel stated he hoped UNF would grow into a competitive school.

“I want it to be such a good school that when my 12-year-old graduates high school, I should call in every favor that I’ve ever known to get her into the school. That is my goal.”

Sen. Slaughter asked Patel about the UNF Presidential selection process, in light of President Limayem’s approval from the USF BOT to act as their university president. 

While he assured the Senate body that Limayem’s move was still not official in lieu of the Board of Governors’ approval, Patel explained the presidential selection process could be a lengthy one.

“Take a look at the University of Florida, they’re still looking,” Patel said.

On Oct. 29, 2024, the UF BOT announced the presidential search committee would begin searching for the next university president.

Currently, UNF has no plans to begin the presidential search process until Limayem’s confirmation by the Board of Governors, according to a UNF spokesperson. 

When a senator asked Patel about the influence politics and political affiliations play in selecting a president to a public university, Patel explained that the BOT must take a look at the “entire environment”.

“You don’t want someone who angers politicians,” said Patel. “If you do, you get no money.”

The UNF BOT held its quarterly meeting today from 9 a.m. to noon.

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