New chief financial officer for SGA wants to spread financial knowledge, create new class
March 13, 2019
The new chief financial officer for the Student Government Association wants to create a financial literacy class and dedicate a week to learn about finances.
The SGA Senate confirmed James Cornett, junior finance and banking major, as the new CFO to the cabinet on Feb. 26.
“I envision a one-hour financial literacy class that would help satisfy the quantitative literacy requirements for the general education core requirements,” Cornett wrote in an email.
Cornett also wrote that the class would teach life-long financial skills.
James Cornett, junior finance and banking major, was confirmed to the cabinet by the SGA Senate. He wants to bring financial knowledge and awareness to the student body through a new class and a week dedicated to financial literacy.
“Ideally, this course would cover financial information like how to create and manage a budget, properly use a credit card, fill out your taxes and any other relevant financial information that students would be able to use outside of the classroom,” Cornett wrote in an email.
Cornett also said he wants to create an event-based financial literacy week with similar topics to the class and provide on-campus resources for students to manage their finances.
Student Body President DeJon Milbourne, senior accounting major, nominated Cornett.
“He’s qualified, I mean he’s kind of overqualified if you look at his resume with what he’s done in our college of business,” Milbourne said.
Another reason Milbourne appointed Cornett to CFO is because he was the Interfraternity Council president for 2017-2018.
Cornett wrote in an email that he created many relationships with administration during his time as IFC president.
“Previously, I have been the treasurer of an organization with a similar budget size and with similar responsibilities,” Cornett wrote in an email. “I also have had financial internships where I have gained real-life knowledge of the financial industry.”
Cornett’s goal for SGA is to grow the organization and provide a foundation for future administrations. He also wants to use his platform to spread financial knowledge and awareness to students.
“Many college students, and recent graduates, mismanage their finances because they haven’t had formal training or open discussions about how to responsibly spend and save their money,” Cornett wrote in an email.
