By Kayla Perry

The SGA underwent change this summer as staff members resigned and a new position was created.

Included is the resignation of former SGA Senator Chloe Mirfield, who has since been named Director of Membership Services for the SGA.

The position the LU graduate has accepted will entail overseeing the V-Desk, another new initiative by the SGA.

Mirfield was elected Senator in the 2013 student elections, and her resignation from the position became official on June 24. On July 1, Mirfield was officially enrolled in her new position, where she will work with SGA staff to create new student jobs at the desk, and will also work at the front desk of the SGA office, to help with operational, administrative and student needs.

The desk, which will replace the vending machines in the student lounge, will be student’s “one stop shop,” which Mirfield will oversee 35 hours a week.

“What is to be assured is that with the new restructuring of the office staff and V-Desk, the SGA with the aid of the V-Desk will be open longer consistently and will be better equipped to provide efficient and excellent service to all students,” said Mirfield.

Mirfield said that while there were several factors contributing to her decision to resign as senator, the largest factor was that due to her job, she was unable to attend the meetings and give the position all the necessary time.

Mirfield said that if all goes as planned, the V-Desk will officially open on Aug. 31, with a grand opening to happen in the early fall.

Also among the changes in the SGA is the accepted resignation of Samantha Kuula, former Associate Director of the Pub Downunder.

After an eight-year career at the Pub, which began when Kuula started working as a security guard in 2005, Kuula said she resigned due to not having enough time to focus on her full-time career, hoping the pub could “open doors” and move forward with a new staff, and a disagreement with recent decisions made by the SGA.

Kuula said that she was “undermined by a group who do not understand the liquor laws” and that although the punishments for sneaking into pub underage are harsh, they are regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

While working at the pub, Kuula said she was personally responsible for any laws that were broken, and that the “liability is huge.”

“I stayed for so long because I loved the pub, and I still love Laurentian,” said Kuula, whose favourite part of working at the pub was the large amounts of money raised annually for the Northern Cancer Foundation.

“The students were able to get involved in fundraising, through one dollar drinks or beers – things that would allow them to contribute on a student budget. We raised a great amount of money and the staff was fantastic.”

Charles Wilson, Executive Director of the SGA, wrote in an email that he is “saddened to see Samantha leave the Pub Dowunder and (wishes) her all the best in all future.”

The position will be filled this summer after a due search process has taken place.