President Nate Brown apologized at Wednesday’s Undergraduate Student Government meeting for the way he conducted himself in the spring.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about next year – thinking about what’s going to happen,” Brown said. “I wanted to tell you I was wrong. I wrote you guys off too early.”

In February, Brown, who served as vice president last year, developed a new student government to replace USG, and many senators were upset that he did not include them during the construction process.

On Wednesday, Brown reconciled with the senate at their first meeting of the year, saying he put them in a tough situation.

“I stepped on your toes, and I didn’t include you,” Brown said. “I apologize for that, I really do.”

Both old and new senators agreed it was a good gesture.

Alden Mulabdic demanded Brown’s resignation last year when the new government was rolled out. Mulabdic said he enjoyed the apology, but he thought the timing was off.

“I think it was overdue, and now it’s politically convenient,” Mulabdic said.

After Brown’s olive branch offering, he named a list of his priorities for this year. The seven-item agenda tackled issues ranging from his controversial stances on funding to campus problems.

Returning senator Joe Moore said Brown’s hasty stance sets a good pace for the semester.

During the meeting the senate did not applaud Brown’s speech. One veteran senator threw his pen on the table and another chuckled out the side of his mouth.

Shortly after, a new senator answered two basic questions and received loud applause.

TyJuan Cratic, who lost to Brown earlier in the year just a few months after losing a bid for Carbondale City Council, experienced yet another defeat. Senators elected to name Chanel Rose to represent the west side of Carbondale instead of Cratic.

The voting dragged on longer than expected when a senator voted for “Pedro,” one of the main characters of the popular film, “Napoleon Dynamite,” during a secret ballot.

“Professionalism!” a senator yelled out. “God…idiot,” he said, impersonating the Napoleon Dynamite character.

The meeting concluded with a serious discussion on a resolution opposing the city’s decision to raise towing fees from $55 to $65, which was passed.

Reporter Zack Quaintance can be reached at [email protected].