Funded by student’s activities and services fees, Student Government is a campus organization that allows students to actively participate in the decision-making process within UF. Like the national government, SG is divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judicial.
“Our simple goal is to just enhance the everyday student experience,” Student Body President Cooper Brown said. “How can Student Government make the everyday life of every Gator just a little bit easier?”
Executive Branch
The executive branch is run by the elected Student Body president, vice president and treasurer, and features appointed officers who oversee cabinet and agency operations. There are four cabinet divisions — Diversity, Leadership & Service, Student Life and Transfer — overseen by the Student Body vice president, focused on yearly programming and working with student organizations to represent the Student Body. The executive branch also features 17 agencies, focused on specific issues ranging from promoting student safety to hosting speakers and promoting events.
Legislative Branch
The legislative branch, the Student Senate, is made up of 100 elected senators — 50 representing colleges and school-years and 50 representing residence areas. Senate is responsible for approving a fiscal year budget of over $20 million, passing bills and resolutions and representing a constituency.
Judicial Branch
The judicial branch is made up of the UF Supreme Court and the elections commission, which are run by UF law students. This branch is responsible for overseeing election procedures and judging university cases brought up by students.
Meet your SG representatives
Student Body President: Cooper Brown (president@sg.ufl.edu)
Office Hours: Mondays and Thursdays 11 AM-3 PM; Tuesdays 11 AM- 2 PM
Student Body Vice President: Faith Maniti (vicepresident@sg.ufl.edu)
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12-5 PM
Student Body Treasurer: Giovanna Mompremier (treasurer@sg.ufl.edu)
Office Hours Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11-4 PM
To welcome the Class of 2025, The Alligator talked to Brown, Maniti and Mompremier, who shared some of their experiences at UF.
What is your favorite library?
Giovanna Mompremier: In my early undergrad years, definitely Marston. I was in there frequently, switching between levels depending on what I was working on. But then when I got to the Health Science program, I used the Health Science Library more due to proximity with all my classes being there, and they also have really nice study rooms.
A message to PaCE and Innovation Academy students
Cooper Brown: Don't feel like you're a Gator with an asterisk: use every opportunity that is at your fingertips. You're no different than any other student.
What was it like living in a dorm as a Freshman?
Faith Maniti: You could just get up and walk 5-10 minutes to your meeting or an event and you're there. There's always something happening every single day of every single week, so it was never like a matter of what am I going to do today because there was always something there.
What is a piece of advice you have for incoming Freshmen?
Cooper Brown: Don't overextend yourself: your identity is not in your resume. That's what I always like to tell incoming freshmen, and that's something that I wish I could have told myself as a freshman. Get involved in organizations because you care about the mission.
Faith Maniti: My advice would be not to focus too much on what everybody else around you is doing, or how everybody else around you is performing. You never know what kind of resources people are working with. That's just the reality of life, people have different opportunities, and you shouldn't beat yourself up for it.
What are some of your game day traditions?
Giovanna Mompremier: It's crazy because on a game day, Gainesville is a whole different city; it just switches up. I was able to really just get that feeling, and just always know like if a game day is coming, oh, it’s just about to be different.
What is something that every Gator has to experience?
Faith Maniti: You have to get a plate of Krishna at Plaza and just sit at Plaza and talk with your friends. And I know it's so corny, but if you're not tabling at Turlington, you at least have to experience peak Turlington hours, when everybody is giving out donuts or there's music at any point of the day.
Do you have some suggestions of Gainesville restaurants and coffee shops?
Cooper Brown: Gumby’s Pizza, Boca Fiesta, Peach Valley Cafe, Pascal’s Coffeehouse
Giovanna Mompremier: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, Muñecas Downtown Taco Garden, Halo Potato Donuts, Maude’s Coffee
Faith Maniti: Curia on the Drag, If It Is Kitchen&Cafe, Social at Midtown, Tijuana Flats, Bo Diddley Plaza
What is Student Government and how does it impact students?
Faith Maniti: A chunk of people's tuition literally goes to fund us, and the work that we do. Whether you're a part of Student Government, you're working with Student Government or you're at least paying attention to Student Government, there's always a voice, or a hand, or something at stake in terms of whatever interests you might have.
Contact Carolina Ilvento at cilvento@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @CarolinaIlvento.
Carolina is a second-year journalism major with a minor in sustainability. In the past, she covered stories and events for WUFT, and she is now reporting on Student Government for The Alligator. Carolina loves to do yoga and go to the beach whenever she isn't writing.
