When Nick Cordova was elected to be the next Student Senate president this past Spring, he didn’t expect to graduate from Waynesburg University a semester early.

Although the senior political science major knew that he had extra class credits, he planned on completing his undergraduate degree with most of his classmates in the Spring and fulfilling his duties as President of Student Senate for the entire school year.

“I [came into Waynesburg] with a number of AP credits, and I knew that I was a little bit ahead [credit wise],” Cordova said. “But I wasn’t thinking of graduating early, I just hadn’t really considered it.”

When Cordova went to do his degree audit at the beginning of the Fall semester, the registrar’s office pointed out that he could graduate early if he wanted to, and that it was something that he should consider.

After discussion with family and professors, Cordova decided that graduating after the Fall semester would be the right decision, citing financial benefits as well as preparing for law school, which he plans on pursuing after graduation, as the key reasons.

Because a Student Senate president has never left his position in the middle of the school year, it was unclear how the senate would handle the situation. Ultimately, it was decided that rather than have an election before the Spring semester; only to have another one at the end of the school year, Executive Vice President T.J. DeNofrio would take over as president for the time being.

This was made possible by a modification known as the “John Tyler Amendment.”

To avoid making himself a “lame duck,” Cordova waited until last month before letting the senate know of his plans. He told the executive board first before informing the rest of the senate. Cordova said that although the announcement was unexpected, preparation for the future of Student Senate was already in progress.

“I think there was a bit of surprise [in the senate],” Cordova said. “But by the time that I had announced it, we had already taken steps to handle the situation. There was a solution presented along with that revelation, so it didn’t cause chaos.”

When DeNofrio heard that Cordova would be graduating in December, it didn’t come as a shock.

“I wasn’t surprised,” DeNofrio said. “I knew he was academically ahead.”

When DeNofrio, a sophomore political science major who is in his second year as a member of Student Senate, found out that he would be the one filling the vacant position, he felt he was up to the responsibility.

“Whenever he [Cordova] told me that there would be the potential for myself to become president […] honestly, it didn’t really, I guess, concern me in a sense,” Cordova said. “I’m willing to take up the task. I’ve always been willing to take up a task regardless of how difficult it is. So it really didn’t surprise me or concern me. I feel like I [am] ready to [become the president].”

Dr. Lawrence Stratton, associate professor of Ethics and Constitutional Law, has been an advisor to Student Senate for five years. One of the reasons that Stratton doesn’t expect the change to be difficult is that DeNofrio shares similarities with his predecessor, and is talented in the field of technology.

“He’s very creative, and he’s a very analytical, synthetic thinker, like [Cordova], and he can use social media, he can film movies,” Stratton said. “He understands the modern technology very well, and I think he’ll bring a similarly quiet and steady analytical leadership to the floor as the president, even as he’s done as executive vice president, and previously as a senator.”

Stratton is confident that change in leadership won’t be an issue.

“I don’t even think we need to knock on wood,” Stratton said. It just will [be a smooth transition].”

DeNofrio plans on using his skills with technology to improve communication between the senate and their fellow students.

“What I want to do is make sure that [first] our website is up and running to the fullest capacity it should be, which is something we need to work with,” DeNofrio said. “Then, I guess second would be to integrate some way that the students can easily communicate with their class senators.”

Although Cordova is leaving, the remainder of the senate’s executive board remains intact. For Cordova, this, along with DeNofrio already having experience with presidential responsibilities, will make the change minimal.

“The rest of the executive board will remain as it is, and [DeNofrio] has known for some time now that he will be serving as president,” Cordova said. “I’ve kept him as involved in presidential duties as possible. It won’t be a shock to [DeNofrio] or anyone else for him to take over.”

Cordova also sees similarities between himself and DeNofrio.

“His personality and style of leadership in running meetings and just handling business, in general, is very similar to mine,” Cordova said. “So, I think that there will be a lot of continuity.”

Although his tenure was abbreviated, Cordova, who has been a member of the senate for three years, feels that a lot was accomplished this fall.

“I think it’s been a productive semester,” Cordova said. “We were able to do the sort of things that the senate had done in the past. We took over Harvest Fest again, we’re sponsoring a study break, the recycling program has expanded. I think we handled my sudden departure very well.”

According to Cordova, the average length of senate meetings has been cut in half since last school year. He hopes that his fellow senators remember his tenure as “one of efficiency.”

“That I governed by logic and calm consideration, and I’ll consider the rest of the successes of the Senate for the rest of the year something that I was able to facilitate by making a smooth transition out,” Cordova said.

Efficiency is something that Cordova takes pride in, and DeNofrio hopes to build on.

“President Cordova has done an excellent job […] I really want to stress that, he’s done an excellent job with his first semester,” DeNofrio said. “Personally, I believe the senate has run incredibly efficiently under his leadership, and my goal right now is to make sure that we maintain on that path.”

As president, DeNofrio plans on emphasizing the need for events that have a positive effect on students.

“This year we’ve had a lot of events that we’ve been perusing,” DeNofrio said. “You just saw the Christmas tree lighting, and those are the issues that, rather than focusing on the side issues of fluff that really don’t contribute substance to the students, we’re focusing on the events and the actual things that are going to directly impact students.”

When DeNofrio is sworn in as Student Senate president at the beginning of the Spring semester, there is nothing that he is afraid of, according to him.

“I’m not nervous at all. In fact, I feel like I’m 100 percent ready to go. Every time I’ve gotten a task handed to me, I’ve hit it head on,” DeNofrio said.