During Elon University’s Student Government Association final business meeting of the spring semester, senior Ryan Lockwood asked the senate to pass a resolution expressing SGA’s condolences and sympathies to the Yelle family following  the death of Elon junior Jackson Yelle. 

Lockwood said he was with Yelle on Sunday before the traffic hit-and-run that resulted in his death. 

“As sad and as tragic as this is, it does bring me some peace to know that in my last memories with Jackson that he was with his friends, he was having fun and he was happy,” Lockwood said. “Passing this would mean a lot to the Club Baseball family, a lot to the Elon community and the Yelle family because as much as we’re all hurting right now, I know that they are hurting 10 times more.”

The resolution passed unanimously in the senate vote and official copies of the resolution will be sent to the Yelle family. 

Updates on university master plan

Next on the agenda, University Architect Brad Moore presented a new draft of the university master plan. The plan included a variety of new residence halls and housing options, a new performing arts building, dining hall, building renovations and expansions. 

While many of these buildings and developments are still being planned and coordinated, Moore said the university will be starting new projects in the summer and are aiming for some projects to be completed in the fall, including finishing the new university gateway and gate tower on O’Kelly, expanding the Francis center, continuing McMichael renovations and the East Neighborhood Commons. 

Moore also said students, alongside professional contractors, will begin building houses in the Loy Farm property that will eventually become the new sustainable living learning community. 

Moore said they plan to build the houses in phases, with the first six opening in August 2024. There will be 12 houses total, each housing two students and featuring a different sustainable design — including one house designed by a group of students with a faculty adviser. 

Moore also showed plans for Acorn Coffee Shop. Mediterranean Deli is set to move into the retail dining option’s current location. Moore announced Acorn Coffee Shop will be relocating to Koenigsberger Learning Center and will feature indoor and outdoor seating. Moore said construction will begin over the summer break and the university plans for Acorn to reopen in the fall semester. 

Appointments 

The SGA senate also approved the creation of a new deputy chief of staff role, and appointed junior Leah Weinstock to the role. There were eight other appointments approved during the meeting, including sophomore Clara Watkins as chief justice, sophomore Taylor Cote as chief of staff and freshman Lexi Riolo as assistant vice president of communications. 

Two non-senate communications team members were appointed, freshman Cooper Lyon and junior Claire Schoenfeld. Senators junior Danny Nickel, sophomore Amanda Jacobson and freshman Lauren Kulda were appointed as the election committee chair, academic relations committee chair and student inclusive campus committee chair, respectively.