By Andrew Pillow

Former Senate President John Whitt was able to meet his replacement before leaving to work with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Falon Thacker, College of Arts and Science senator, was voted in as the new Senate president Wednesday night. Thacker ran unopposed for the position.

“I think my new replacement will do an excellent job,” Whitt said. “She’s been by my side the whole semester … I wish her the best of luck.”

Thacker said she wants to build on the foundation Whitt laid.

“I just want to keep going on what John has started,” Thacker said. “He set a really good precedent. I have really big shoes to fill.”

The College of Public Health does not have a senator currently, and at Wednesday’s meeting the motion to add one to the college failed.

Graduate senator Krystal Frieson was the sponsor of the bill.

“They deal with issues that aren’t encountered by the average graduate program student,” Frieson said. “College of Public Health has a lot of working professionals, there are concerns about safety because they come so late, and they may only have class once a week, which creates issues with parking.”