The Student Government Association began their meeting 30 minutes late and went directly into executive session on Dec. 1.
Executive sessions are when the senate votes to close the meeting to the community in order to discuss confirmation proceedings for nominees to SGA positions and disciplinary proceedings. Advisers may also privately address the senate.
Stephen Prather, radiography junior and SGA pro-tempore, motioned to go into executive session for 15 minutes.
“We need to discuss some protocol and proceedings,” Prather said.
Everyone who was not a member of the senate moved outside the meeting, including Josh Kornberg, communications senior and SGA president, Kevin Evans, secondary education junior and SGA vice president.
Dulguun Otgonsuren, undecided sophomore and SGA secretary, was also outside of the meeting after having to run to the SGA office. Since he was not inside when they made the decision, he had to sit out, as well, until he was allowed back in.
Jennifer Broadus, general studies junior and SGA treasurer, invited him into the meeting.
“We voted,” Broadus said. “You can come in.”
Afterward, she came back out and invited Kornberg and Evans back into the meeting, as well.
They ended the executive session and allowed everyone back inside.
The first piece of business the SGA discussed was a senate ambassador committee bill.
Matt Owen, political science junior and SGA senate chair, and Prather authored this bill.
“The executive branch would appoint a chairman for each committee, and each chairman would pick two students from the school they represent,” Owen said. “This way we can still bring in senators at-large and not have to hold a special election.”
Prather said this is an alternative to the senate restructure bill.
“Ultimately, this does the same thing that [Evans’] proposed,” Prather said. “This is fail proof.”
Kornberg said he was concerned about doing it this way.
“If [the SGA] only wants to do this because there is less of a chance to fail, then we should pack it up right now and just go home,” Kornberg said. “I don’t care about failure, as long as we fail together.”
Evans said the senators themselves should already be ambassadors.
Owen said he does not want to start a fight with the executive branch.
“I think this makes more sense so we aren’t setting up a time bomb for later SGAs,” Owen said. “If one of the schools gets a new dean and they don’t support the restructure, then [the SGA] is down two seats that can’t be filled.”
Kornberg said he thought Owen did not have faith in the SGA.
“It’s not a lack of faith in this organization,” Owen said. “It’s a lack of faith in administration.”
Evans said the SGA should just move forward with the restructure bill instead of this one.
“I know you guys might be scared,” Evans said. “I have spoken to all of the deans, and we have their backing, as well. The deans answer to the Faculty Senate. Let’s move on this now rather than make a new one.”
Stephon Moore, journalism freshman and SGA press secretary, said he feels they will get better members with the restructure.
“I think we’ll get more people in here with a higher caliber doing it [Evans’] way,” Moore said.
Josh Cesar, math and physics junior and former SGA senator, asked why the bill did not come from the restructure committee.
The SGA ended the discussion on both bills.
Kornberg also said he was disappointed in what the SGA has not accomplished this semester.
“Over the summer, when we had our rebranding, everyone said they wanted to change the way the SGA runs and wanted to actually get things for students done; however, we have nothing to show for this semester,” Kornberg said.
By BRYAN JONES
Staff
jonesbry@umail.iu.edu
