As the academic school year draws to a close, so do the terms of the current ASUU leadership. The 2024 ASUU Inauguration took place on Wednesday. New ASUU members were sworn in and old leadership reflected on the past year and celebrated the transition from the O’Leary administration to the Boyden administration.
This year’s election cycle broke many records, with the largest amount of student votes in history. The election results state the amount of votes jumped from 13% in 2023 to 17% in 2024. The Boyden administration received 48.3% of the 5,656 votes cast from the student body.
The event began with comments from outgoing leadership.
“It is weird being back here, very nostalgic,” said outgoing ASUU President Jack O’Leary. “But I am happy and excited for the Boyden ticket.”
Outgoing Senate Chair Hannah Truax said this year there were seven legislative cycles, with 50 pieces of legislation, bills and resolutions. She said the hard work of the senate and assembly members is what made it all possible.
ASUU has made several initiatives and events possible in the 2023-2024 academic year, including Recycle Rice Eccles, Stuff a Plush, The Grand Kerfuffle with David Kushner and Red Fest.
The ASUU website highlights the vision statement for the 2023-2024 ASUU Presidency. The statement reads that the O’Leary administration wanted to work with students and campus partners to enact practical improvements for the campus.
In his parting speech, O’Leary said he feels the goals they achieved set them apart from previous administrations. He said he could not have done it without the rest of the O’Leary administration, which included the vice president for student relations, Parker Madsen, and the vice president for university relations, Chloe Shewell.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Januel Gomez-Colon administered the oath of office to all the new elects, including Mercedes Johnson as the new senate chair, Anna Locke as the incoming assembly chair and the newly elected Attorney General Anika Boyden.
The 2024-2025 presidency consists of President Joe Boyden, VP for Student Relations Paige Moon and VP for University Relations Ty Nishikawa.
“I believe that our university’s culture is not only a reflection of who we are, but it’s also a catalyst for positive change and grow,” Nishikawa said.
Boyden’s focus in his inauguration speech was community.
“We’d love for you to feel a real community if you actually walk here and take pride in your experience at the University of Utah — and I hope to embody that constantly,” he said.
