The Student Government Association passed a resolution that would change how their budget is determined.
Rather than coming up with a budget every year, the resolution proposed requests a percentage of the Student Activity Fee from the Student Life Committee. The committee determines how much student groups get from the Student Activity Fee.
Flo Gonya, SGA president, said she would be willing to handle any of the Student Life Committee’s arguments.
“I can take the heat as a lame duck president for this,” Gonya said. “We need to get their attention and change attitudes.”
The resolution was voted into emergency status and passed by one vote.
In other business, the senate discussed a trip for Hoosiers for Higher Education, where students go to the state capitol to talk to state representatives about education issues.
HHE will take place on Feb. 17. Students who sign up can be excused for their classes that day by Chancellor Sandra Patterson-Randles.
The senate viewed a bill that would allot $500 to pay for lunch for students who go to HHE this year, with $8 per student allotted.
“We’re in for major [state educational] budget cuts,” Gonya said. “It is extremely important we be there so they don’t cut us until we bleed.”
James Bonsall, treasurers university affairs chair, presented concerns students had with the University Center being closed due to the snow and ice from Jan. 26 through Jan. 30.
University Center North and South usually remain open at all times, however during the winter storms they were closed, leaving students living in the residence halls no access.
“Students who live in the lodges who might have just needed a quite place to read, due to the noise of everyone not having classes, couldn’t find it,” Bonsall said.
The senate also viewed two bills to propose changes in parts of their bylaws governing how advisers are added or removed to the group.
Bonsall authored a bill that would add on to the portion of the bylaws dealing with the selection of advisers.
The addition would allow the senate to add an adviser by a two-thirds vote.
Another bill, also authored by Bonsall, makes the specifications for removing an adviser more defined by requiring a two-thirds vote from the senate.
One new probationary senator, Ben Taylor, geology senior, was brought in. Two probationary senators, Candice Boudreaux and Eman Alaraj, were sworn in as senators.
Along with the new senators, Melissa Lamanna was voted in as press secretary, filling the position left by Kristen Klayko’s resignation.
By LORI RICHIE
Staff Writer
larichie@ius.edu
