Student Government Association President Carter Barnett has resigned from his position after serving for three semesters.
“I have made the difficult decision to step down at the end of this semester to focus fully on schoolwork and the end of my college career,” said Barnett in a statement on his Instagram.
Barnett, the first president to receive a second term in almost 40 years, resigned Friday.
During his time as president, he brought about the creation of the Period Product Program and advocated for changes to dining hours.
“I resign knowing that Belmont is a better place than when I first took my oath and look forward to seeing all that follows my administration,” said Barnett.
Barnett was involved in SGA for all four years of his time at Belmont, starting out as a senator his first year before becoming chief of staff and then running for and being elected as SGA president at the end of his sophomore year.
“Carter has led SGA... with integrity, serving the student body with excellence and leaving a lasting impact on both SGA and the broader campus community,” said Derian Hamblin, assistant director of student engagement and adviser for SGA.
Barnett was a present and public SGA president, known for attending nearly every basketball game and being recognized by most students across campus and for his communication with student concerns through Fizz.
With his resignation, Barnett will also take a step back from the spotlight and from being at so many events.
“There will definitely be a stepping back of stuff,” he said. “I still plan on going to basketball games that fit within my schedule, but besides that, I do plan on kind of taking a step back on some stuff.”
Following his resignation, Vice President Zeen Ari will take on the role of president and a vice president will be confirmed by the SGA senate in the spring semester.
“As we look ahead to the spring semester, SGA remains committed to serving the student body. We are excited to welcome Vice President Zeen Ari as the new SGA President and are confident that Zeen, along with SGA, will continue to serve the campus with excellence,” said Hamblin.
Ari is ready to begin her term as SGA president in the spring and continue to build on Barnett's fall term.
"I am honored to follow in Carter's steps and ensure that Belmont continues to be the great campus that it is," said Ari on her instagram story.
Barnett is optimistic about the future of SGA and Ari’s leadership going forward.
“I just think that she's going to do a good job,” he said. “Give SGA a little grace as they enter into this transition process for the next little bit.”
Barnett is grateful for all of the support he has received from students and others about his decision and is proud of the accomplishments of his administration.
“I'm very thankful for everyone and all the sweet comments that I've got today,” he said. “And I just want to thank everybody for their support during my tenure.”
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This article was written by Braden Simmons