The Student Government Association had several motions to discuss at its weekly meeting Monday night. Senators discussed topics ranging from elections to new senators.
Michael Bigelow was sponsored by Administrative Affairs to take the vacant commuter seat. As a transfer student who lives off campus, Chairman Kabir Thatte said that Bigelow mentioned a lack of community among students and wants to create one. The motion passed unanimously.
Danielle Laroque was sponsored by President Vinayak Rao and Vice President Jacob Schissel to be appointed to the Secretary of Diversity seat, once filled by Josh Odam.
Laroque previously served as the Undersecretary of Diversity.
“There was no one else on our mind besides Danielle,” Rao said.
Laroque said, “I am very happy to be thought of as a candidate for this position. You will get nothing but my all.”
She continued, saying she wants to keep the conversation going about race on campus. The motion also passed unanimously.
Allan Brooks was then sponsored by Rao and Schissel to become the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Brooks first enlisted in the United States Army in 2008 and was deployed to Iraq in 2009. He has worked with the Student Veteran Resource Center in Dickinson Hall and hopes this position will be an extension of the projects he is involved with now. The motion passed.
Emily Spiewak, who was sponsored by speaker of the Senate Sionan Barrett, was appointed to the Diversity and Student Engagement Committee.
The Ways and Means Committee proposed changing Title VI, stating the way it is written lacks clarity in regards to violations of the rules financially within Registered Student Organizations.
Chairman Adam Ladd said there are several issues with the way it is worded, with some sections being confusing.
Along with the changing of the wording in Title VI, the chief justice and associate chief justice are to be paid. The motion passed.
Administrative Affairs also sponsored a motion concerning the election commission having the authority to oversee University student elections, excluding the Graduate Student Senate.
“Some of the most important positions in the SGA will be seen and known about. We want to make sure these people are committed,” Thatte said.
Appointees for the Election Commission must first receive confirmation from the Administrative Affairs committee by a majority vote of its members in attendance at a regularly scheduled meeting prior to a confirmation vote by the general Senate. The motion passed.
There was also a motion for candidates running for office that would enable use of one or more vendors during their campaigns.
“We wanted candidates to be more creative with how they campaign,” Secretary of Finance Chris Brophy said.
In addition to proposing the use of more than one vendor, it was also proposed that candidates be required to submit a written breakdown of how monetary funds will be spent no less than 10 academic days before campaigning.
The motion passed and will take effect in the spring 2016.
The Administrative Affairs committee also put forth a motion which would make the student trustee campaign separate from the presidential and vice presidential campaign.
With this motion, a support or endorsement of a specific candidate on either end would not be permitted, which included announcing anything on social media or on posters, according to Thatte.
The meeting concluded with all of the motions of the floor passing.
Catherine Ferris can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Ca_Ferris2.
