The SGA Senate on Thursday approved stipends for certain SGA positions, passed a resolution commending social workers and passed a bill allowing the First Year Council to expedite legislation.
Executive pay
The Senate approved the 2024-25 stipends for certain SGA positions, with the pay for the position of president, all eight Executive Council positions and the chief justice position remaining the same as in 2023-24.
The stipends for the attorney general, treasurer and director positions were reduced for the upcoming school year. The Senate increased the pay for the chief administration officer, press secretary, chief adviser to the president and secretary of the Senate.
The chief administrative officer, press secretary, chief adviser to the president, and the director positions will now each be paid $580 total between September and April. The attorney general and treasurer will make $600 over the same period as the highest-ranking officials in the cabinet.
Vice President for Financial Affairs Eric Doh said that the Senate made the changes to distribute pay among executives more evenly.
“If you look at the amount of office hours that are required throughout positions, the amount of the stipend doesn’t necessarily reflect time spent in the office,” Doh said. “We thought with this legislation, it would allow for a more even pay to be made, especially with how much work has to be done per position.”
Honoring social work
The Senate passed a resolution recognizing Social Work Month and the UA School of Social Work.
School of Social Work Sen. Ragan Hope Wilson, who authored the resolution, said that it’s critical to acknowledge social work throughout the community.
“I think that social workers are often really underrepresented in the culture and in the view of a successful workforce,” Wilson said. “I think their work is very important.”
Wilson added that it’s particularly important to acknowledge social work following the passage of Senate Bill 129, which will restrict state-funded diversity, equity and inclusion programs in institutions of higher education in Alabama.
“When I look at what I’m studying and the career I’m about to have in social work, it’s a duty,” Wilson said. “We address adverse social conditions, and I think there are a lot of ways where marginalized groups are neglected. DEI works, supports and advocates for them.”
Wilson said she hoped for more monetary support from the University for the School of Social Work in the future.
“I’m in classes where I pay out of pocket to buy toys and prizes for a group of fourth grade girls,” Wilson said, adding that with more resources, social work students can create more positive change throughout the University and Tuscaloosa.
FYC can now expedite legislation
The Senate passed a bill by Councilor Lucas Ealy that will allow FYC to expedite legislation when necessary.
Ealy said the bill will help FYC accomplish its goals in a timelier manner.
“We’ve had a lot of events we wanted to do acts with,” Ealy said. “When ideas like that arise, sometimes we’re on a time constraint.”
Previously, FYC was required to hold three readings of legislation in order to pass it.
In the text of the bill, Ealy wrote that “the holding of three readings of legislation can often provide unnecessary and unreasonable delays in the working of the First Year Council.”
Now, with a two-thirds majority vote, pieces of legislation can be expedited by holding the first and third readings during the same legislative session. The first reading can also be skipped with the approval of the respective committee chair and author.
