The Student Government Association has elected a new speaker of the senate.

Current SGA senator Christopher Costa was chosen as the 2012-2013 speaker of the senate at Tuesday night’s meeting. The other nominated candidates were Poorvie Patel — a student senator — and Mallory Treece, the public relations committee head.

Each candidate gave a speech voting and took part in a question-and-answer session.

Treece spoke first and talked about how she fell in love with SGA when she attended the first senate meeting.

“I believe that I would do a great job as your speaker because of my passion for SGA,” Treece said.

Costa gave his speech next and mentioned that he was previously in the Army.

“In the Army, I learned a great deal about how to follow and I think by following you learn to lead and I think I am a good leader,” Costa said.

The third candidate, Patel, gave the final speech.

“I’ve been in the senate since my freshman year so I know how it works,” Patel said. “I’ve been around parliamentary procedure. I think that’s something that you really have to know.”

After the speeches, the senate members got a chance to ask the candidates questions. Candidates discussed issues such as maintaining neutrality while serving as speaker, putting the time in for the position and dealing with upcoming changes during the Downing University Center renovations.