The final session of the 2016-2017 Student Government Association Senate consisted largely of discussions of bills dealing with rules and regulations for the First Year Council and Executive Cabinet.
During last week’s meeting, Senate discussed bills 22 and 21, both of which deal with creating a separate rules and regulations document for the FYC, similar to the creation of the Senate Rules and Regulations earlier in the term. Bill 22 removes the FYC rules from the SGA Code of Laws while Bill 21 would establish the rules as a separate document.
Additionally, Bills 19 and 20 were reintroduced. Also authored by Ross D’Entremont, Bill 20 would remove portions of the Executive Cabinet’s rules and regulations from the Code of Laws while Bill 19 would take the removed portions and establish them as a separate document.
D’Entremont subsequently motioned for all four bills to be removed from the docket. The senator said he and multiple members of the senate will be serving on the Executive Council, therefore the new Senate should consider the legislation.
SGA President-Elect Jared Hunter, a junior majoring in political science, was also in attendance. Hunter said he was initially surprised that Roth vetoed Bill 16 after it handily passed the senate.
Hunter characterized Roth’s change to the bill barring members of The Machine from participating in the SOS process as “an interesting extra stipulation.”
“From a political stand point, once again, I understand where [Roth] is coming from, but in terms of feasibility for the student body and, you know, campus itself, I’m not sure,” Hunter said.
At the moment, Hunter said he has no concrete plan for what to do about the SOS process. He said he is awaiting the decision regarding SGA Attorney General Haley Loflin’s appeal, which states Roth’s executive order is unconstitutional because it was not issued through Loflin’s office.
“But, I’ve already begun meeting with [Mollie Gillis, the incoming vice president for student affairs] and meeting with a couple of administrators on what our options are for the incoming administration in lieu of this, like, last minute executive order,” Hunter said.
In a statement after the meeting, Roth said she is proud of the work that has been done over the past year but is saddened “by the political norms we have come to expect at UA.”
“Until institutional action is taken, students are trapped in a system that only works for one specific interest group that is small in size and in mind. I have tried to use my voice and my office for good…I am hopeful that we will soon see the day where the SGA is accessible to and embracing of all students on this campus. Our best days are ahead of us,” part of the statement read.
Order of Events:
1.) New Judicial Board confirmed.
2.) Bill 18 to allow FYC funding appropriations reintroduced, passed.
3.) Bill 22 “The FYC Rules and Regulations Bill” reintroduced, removed from the docket at the author’s request.
4.) Bill 21 establishing the FYC rules and regulations reintroduced, removed from the docket at the author’s request.
5.) Bill 19 “The Executive Cabinet Rules and Regulations Bill” reintroduced, removed from the docket at the author’s request.
6.) Bill 20 creating the Executive Cabinet rules and regulations reintroduced, removed from the docket at the author’s request.
7.) Motion to add Bill 23 (Pres. Roth’s changes to Bill 16 to codify Student Organization Seating) failed to carry.
8.) Resolution 46 encouraging the University to improve their “sudden cardiac arrest intervention plan on campus” introduced, passed.
9.) Act 24 allocating $625 for the SGA awards banquet introduced, passed.
