Senate passes amendment altering eligibility for graduate school senate

Kayla Smith, Contributing Writer
March 26, 2019

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate passed a constitutional amendment on March 21 that requires students running for graduate senate chairs to have received their bachelor’s degree.

 

Previously, students who were a part of the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) had the option of choosing to run for a senate seat in the college of their undergraduate degree or a seat in the graduate senate.

 

Sen. Colby Murray, a graduate student in the public administration Master’s program, and Sen. Andrew Townsend, also a graduate student in the public administration Master’s program, co-authored the amendment.

 

“I think that [this amendment] achieves our ultimate goal of preserving the voice of graduate students,” Murray said.  

 

Townsend said he felt that it is unfair that some students had the option of choosing to run for either a graduate or undergraduate senate seat.

 

“Candidates can’t choose what district to run for in congressional elections,” Townsend said. “Graduate students have different needs from undergraduate students.”

 

Murray said graduate student representation is lessened when AMP students hold graduate seats.

 

“Graduate students are overwhelmingly in the minority,” Murray said. “Undergraduates hold 42 seats, and we only hold six.”

 

The amendment will take effect during the next SGA elections.

 

The Senate also passed an act promoting the American Cancer Society fundraising efforts.

 

The act requests participation and collaboration amongst the SGA, UA Panhellenic Association and UA Interfraternity Council in support of the initiative.

 

A resolution to honor retiring UAPD officers was unanimously passed by the Senate.

 

The meeting on March 21 was the final meeting of the 2018-2019 SGA Senate.

 

Order of Events

  1. The Senate broke for committee.
  2. B-02-19: A Bill to Create a Budget for FYC Tabling was passed without opposition.
  3. The Senate passed C-07-19: A Constitutional Amendment to Update the Election Eligibility Requirements for Graduate School Candidates.
  4. R-36-19, a resolution honoring retiring UAPD officer, was passed.
  5. The Senate passed A-05-19: An Act To Promote the American Cancer Society Fundraising Efforts in Collaboration with UA Panhellenic Association and UA Interfraternity Council.