Student Spotlight: Newly Elected Chief Justice Ryan Crnarich

Junior Ryan Crnarich was recently appointed to be the Chief Justice of SGA’s Judicial Branch for the 2022-2023 academic year. Crnarich has been a justice since being sworn in spring 2021 and his role focused on Student Senate oversight. Crnarich talks about what Chief Justice means to him, how he got here and where he’d like to take the Judicial Branch.

Cassandra Stec | cmstec@butler.edu

As transitions for the next group of SGA leadership continue to be underway, especially for the Executive Branch, the Judicial Branch has both reviewed and voted for their new leadership. The current justices have elected current Judicial Branch Justice Ryan Crnarich as their new Chief Justice for 2022-2023.

The Chief Justice’s job mainly focuses on maintaining and managing the Judicial Branch. Through this, they provide a variety of resources for the other justices to utilize as well as remain an unbiased source. Part of the job also entails attending branch meetings and Student Senate meetings to ensure that everything SGA does is constitutional. Similar to the United States federal government, the Chief Justice works to help keep other branches in check and makes sure that everyone is following the governing document rules.

Ryan Crnarich, junior political science and history major, has always wanted to go to law school. His future plans and passion for law are partly what inspired him to attempt to join the Judicial Branch last year as a justice. He was urged by some fellow justices to run for Chief Justice this year.

“I want to really bring an unbiased sense to it,” Crnarich said. “I like to describe myself as a calm person with a calm demeanor. We have some openings on the branch, and I really hope that we get a good, diverse group in there with diverse thoughts. I really hope that all the justices are able to speak their mind, see what they want and invest in the students. Essentially, that’s about the bottom line.”

In addition to SGA, Crnarich is involved in a variety of extracurriculars both relating to his major as well as his passions. Some such organizations are the Peace and Politics Association and the Real Estate Club as well as a variety of intramural sports that he participates in with his friends. However, SGA continues to be his priority.

“I’ve held executive positions and things like that, so working with a team has definitely been something I’ve learned throughout college,” Crnarich said. “I’ve matured and working with people, especially within the Judicial Branch where there’s strong held opinions of other people, it’s important to respect the opinions of everyone else. The other organizations I’m involved in have definitely helped hone my thoughts and give me a good frame of mind.”

While working as a justice in the Judicial Branch this past year, he served as the Legislative Oversight Chair. Through this role he worked closely with the Student Senate to make sure all resolutions passed were constitutional.

“I mean coming in, you know, it's just seeing how things are done for so long,” Crnarich said. “A different mindset can definitely throw a wrench in things. I’m very critical of everyone and open and honest about how I feel about things. If I see something being done in a way that I don’t like, then I’m going to talk about it. Obviously, it’s Chief Justice, it’s an unbiased role and you can only do so much, but within the Judicial Branch, which is my purview, I can certainly change things a bit.”

Crnarich is excited to begin his duties as Chief Justice following his swearing in. He is passionate about advocating for students and is already hitting the ground running in that regard. In ending remarks, Crnarich mentioned how important student input is in SGA, regardless of whether or not a student holds a formal position in the three branch system that SGA has established.

“I just want to urge students to get involved in SGA,” Crnarich said. “Even if you don’t want to hold a position, follow what’s going on in the Carillon, go to the Student Senate meetings or talk to people. Everyone is genuinely there to help and, while it [SGA] can seem far apart from students, it’s really not that scary to get involved or reach out to somebody [in a position of power on SGA]. You can reach out to me or any of the justices on the bench or your senators. There are so many people you can reach out to. SGA is genuinely here for students by students; it sounds corny, but that’s what it truly is.”

More information about the Judicial Branch can be found on butlersga.org, including current justices as well as ways in which to contact them.