Nearing the establishment of a new executive board, Marquette Student Government appointed a new legislative vice president, sophomore Brant McCartan, at the April 1 Senate meeting. McCartan is the second-to-last executive board appointment to the new administration.

A College of Health Sciences sophomore, McCartan was approved by Senate to succeed former legislative vice president and College of Communication senior Mary Kate Havlik. Each executive board position serves one year.

The legislative president, according to Havlik, is a member of the MUSG executive board and is in charge of the weekly Senate meetings. She said McCartan must also motivate and help senators to work on various projects.

To appoint a new legislative vice president, current MUSG senators nominate any full-time undergraduate student, Havlik said. The candidate is not required to be a current MUSG member. After a period of questions and debate for the nominees, a majority vote of the seated senators is required to be appointed.

Havlik said there were initially five students nominated, and the number was narrowed down to three and then two before the final vote was taken. McCartan's term began as soon as Senate voted him to replace Havlik.

Sophomore and Arts & Sciences senator Brent Bray nominated McCartan for legislative vice president.

"I nominated Brant because I have worked with him in the past and know that he is extremely talented at bridging gaps, being fair and keeping an unbiased point of view," Bray said. "Also, Brant has had a lot of experience with MUSG, knows the inner workings of MUSG and will work hard to make this organization better."

McCartan was one of two Schroeder Hall senators this year and one of the McCormick Hall senators his freshman year. Havlik also said this experience would help him in his new role.

"Brant's experience as a senator and willingness to speak up and be heard make him a great leader for MUSG," Havlik said. "He has seen two administrations and has great ideas of his own for his term. I have no doubt Senate will grow with him as legislative vice president."

One of McCartan's ideas is to pass new legislation to improve the appearance and atmosphere of the Marquette campus. He said with its urban location, it could be difficult for the campus to actually look like a college.

He said he wants to make MUSG positions and Senate seats more open to all students, especially those not currently involved in the organization.

McCartan said his main goal would be to encourage senators to talk to their constituents more. He said every student has at least two senators — a residential senator and one from the student's college — and he advises students to "use your senators for your benefit."

"I encourage students to express their ideas to student government," McCartan said.

He said he looks forward the responsibility of the job, and his main concern is an absence of change and progress during his one-year term as legislative vice president.

"It's the worst thing when the same problems are there when you begin as when you end," he said.