After extensive debate about the transparency of the executive cabinet confirmation process, the Undergraduate Student Government senate approved the 2026-2027 cabinet nominees, 11-1, during Tuesday night’s meeting. 

The senate confirmed Madison Troup as speaker of the senate, Shrinidhi Sriram as chief of staff, Sammy Lee as chief communications officer, Jackson Alexander as chief financial officer, Sage Murthy as chief programming officer and Angie Del Gaudio as chief diversity officer. 

The speaker of the senate is elected by a vote among the incoming senators, while the rest of the cabinet is selected by the president and vice president-elect.

During the approval of the agenda, senator Jad Kilani moved to push the confirmation of the executive cabinet to next Tuesday’s meeting, with senator Moy Valdez seconding the motion. Kilani said the senate needed more time to review the cabinet nominations, which he said were shared with senators “shortly” before the meeting.

“It would be reasonable to just table for one week to give senators that opportunity to review those nominees,” Kilani said. “I also think this respects the nominees more, if anything, as some concerns need to be addressed in a more private forum, rather than out here in public.” 

Kilani’s motion failed. Senator Sabeeh Mirza, who voted against Kilani’s motion, said he trusted the president and vice president-elect Syrabi Rahman and Diane Kim. Mirza said proposed changes to the confirmation process should be made through bylaw amendments, which can be passed by the senate.

“All of the cabinet picks are in the room with us, the future senate is in the room with us and anything that would serve to table this [item] is frankly disrespectful,” Mirza said. “Our ability and our job is to ensure that [the] future senate [has] an even clearer process.” 

Valdez said the public should be given an opportunity to know who is being considered for the position. 

“The fact that this process has less transparency than the [United States] government does when it comes to confirming its cabinet positions is — in my opinion —  kind of disgraceful,” Valdez said. “More than half of the people up here were elected and re-elected, to be transparent, and I think that if we don’t stand on those principles now, it’ll be harder later.” 

Ultimately, senator Zehran Muqtadir was the only one to vote against the confirmation, citing concerns over transparency. 

“I cannot, in good conscience, vote to confirm nominees I have not had time to meet with,” Muqtadir said. 

In his announcements after the confirmation, speaker of the senate, Jeremiah Boisrond, said he was frustrated with the negative sentiments expressed around the confirmation timeline. 

“This is a day of celebration,” Boisrond said. “Recognize that, too — the impact you guys have.”

During presentations, senator Sudeepta Murthy said she successfully worked with USC Hospitality to expand the maximum number of swipes a student with the Flex120 Meal Plan can use in one day, from three to six, by increasing the number of meal blocks in a day. 

Murthy also said USC Transportation said it could make Fryft’s start time earlier in one of two ways: to 6 p.m. in the fall and 7 p.m. in the spring, or 6:30 p.m. in both semesters. She said she will send a survey to students to collect feedback and decide which option to go with.

Vice president Emma Fallon said in her officer report that USG has completed 23 out of 104 projects so far. The last time senators passed a resolution or bill was during the March 3 meeting, which was a resolution requesting the University to reinstate the Academic Achievement Award for the Fall 2025 class. 

Fallon also said she is working to fully utilize the $19,500 legislative branch funding.

In her report, chief financial officer Avery Horton said the funding utilization for academic and professional, social and recreational/startup, and performing and visual/cultural arts has all been fully utilized, as of March 31.