SGB board member resigns due to ‘extensive time commitment’

Student Government Board announced the resignation of Derek Dressler, the vice president of governance, in an Instagram post on Tuesday. 

“I remain committed to serving my peers in various non-Board capacities across this campus,” Dressler, a junior political science and psychology major, said in the statement. “It has truly been an honor, pleasure and privilege getting to know my colleagues better while serving the Pitt undergraduate community.” 

Dressler cited “the extensive time commitment in conjunction with work, school and familial obligations” as the reasons for his departure. While Dressler will resign from his position on the board, the post stated he will continue to hold positions in the Renters First Task Force and the community and governmental relations committee.

Two other SGB members already resigned earlier this year. Celeste Lintz, a senior bioengineering major, resigned in August and Alison Linares Mendoza, a junior industrial engineering major, resigned in December. 

Dressler’s resignation fell between rounds of public interviews to fill Mendoza’s vacant seat. As his resignation opened an additional spot, the board automatically appointed the two finalists, who were set to interview at Tuesday’s SGB meeting. Braydan Issermoyer and Annika Agarwal, who both made campus sexual assault prevention and mental health awareness key tenets of their campaigns, will start their duties soon.

Dressler said when running for office he wanted to advocate for improved off-campus housing conditions. He received the fifth-most votes during the election.

SGB said in the post, which released hours prior to the SGB meeting, that SGB will conduct a review of its election processes to “evaluate the effectiveness of the current appointment procedures.”

“SGB is determined to improve the appointment process to better serve the needs of the student body well into the future,” the post said.

SGB President Danielle Floyd, who ran with Dressler in last year’s election, expressed her sadness at Dressler’s resignation in the post. 

“I am saddened by Derek’s departure, and wish him well in his future pursuits,” Floyd said.