Student Senate Revisits Old Bill Book

Editor-in-Chief

   The Student Senate revisited its bill book from the previous meeting in its last meeting of the semester, Dec. 3.

   Zack Tucker, a political science major, chaired the meeting since President Pro-Temp Sandy Herring felt sick. The senate reviewed the bill book from the last meeting since it only discussed one resolution and it was tabled.

   The senate brought up a resolution to secret ballot vote for the officer review board. The resolution at the previous meeting that passed nominated senators for the review board. Herring, as author of the bill, gave a small authorship speech reminding senators about the resolution.

   She said the review board will review the executive officers of the Student Government Association. Because the resolution passed at the last meeting, she reminded the senate they were only voting by secret ballot for the nominated senators. Mindy Holcomb, director of Student Programs and Activities, will count the ballots. The five senators with the highest amount of votes will make up the review board. The next two senators with the highest amount of votes after that will serve as alternates. The board will select its own chairperson. The nominated senators comprise Billy Huggins, Jonathan Greenlee, Eric Bell, Angelia Buford, Brian Coleman, Zack Tucker, Katherine Shelby and Yvonne Hinshaw. The senate recessed for five minutes to allow time for secret ballot voting.

   The senate brought back up the constitutional conference resolution. Tucker said this resolution passed earlier to help reform the constitution and reminded the senate it allowed Herring to appoint the members. Tucker brought the resolution up again to have the senate vote on and approve the constitutional conference members Herring selected.

   Herring said she not only appointed senators, but other students as well. She spoke with political science faculty and asked for their opinions about students who would be good candidates for the conference.

   The students Herring appointed to the conference comprise Eric Bell, Ronald Forté, Hunter Gillum, Yvonne Hinshaw, Erin James, Randy Moore, Jeff McDonald, Lauren Raynor, Tiffany Reed, and Zack Tucker.

   The senate passed the motion to accept the appointed conference members unanimously.

   The senate untabled resolution three to eject senators who had missed three or more meetings unexcused. Tucker started with affirmative debate since he gave an authorship speech before the bill was tabled.

   Senators suspended the rules to allow Michael Reynolds II, Student Government Association vice president, to speak. He said he agreed the senate needed to “cut off some ends that are making the senate weak” but also said the senate needs to fix the gray areas in the constitution. Some examples he cited included who excuses should be given to and how much time before and after a missed meeting a senator has to give his or her excuse.

   Hiram Sumlin, a senior History major, spoke during negative debate and said he was against the bill because of the gray areas in the constitution.

   Tucker said in defense of the constitution, the process for excuses is laid out.

   Kelly Freeman said she was not against the bill but asked if there was a way to e-mail an excuse for missing a senate meeting. 

   Eric Bell, a senior political science major, said he thought the bill was a good idea but thought the rules should be followed more closely.

   “Like our president said in the last meeting, we should follow the rules next semester to a ‘T’,” Bell said.

   Tucker said by passing the resolution, the quorum would be smaller. He reminded the senators the SGA president and president pro-temp still appoints senators until an election can be held. He said right now, the senate is having trouble holding meetings because they have to have a quorum of 17.

   When the time came to vote, the motion to eject senators Emily Barnett, Will Dismukes, Britney Hornaday, Centrina Johnson, Yelitza Reivera and Mathew Robinson passed 11 to zero. Six senators abstained from voting.

   Reynolds said the senate needs 55 senators and suggested the senate advertise next semester so more people can come and contribute to student government.

   In new business, Michael Thomas, SGA president, told the senate Stephen Trana, a professor in the division of Music, passed away last Sunday. He asked the senate to vote to buy flowers to show the student government’s condolences to the family.

   After discussion, the senate voted to buy some sort of floral arrangement for the memorial service with a maximum limit of $100.

   The next Student Senate meeting will take place Wednesday, Jan. 21 in the Caucus Room at 12:30. Students interested in becoming senators should contact Herring at slh1419@uamont.edu or Thomas at mdt1315@uamont.edu.

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