Student senate seeks multiple changes to constitution |
Mike Terry |
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The student senate plans to use its final weeks in office to push for a number of amendments to the student government constitution. One amendment proposed at Friday's meeting would replace the student personnel board with a three-person committee consisting of two senators and one student-at-large. The personnel board chair would become the chief of staff and recommend candidates for vacant senate seats, a duty held by the student body president. Student Body President Phil Gersman reluctantly made five appointments to the 12-member senate during his year in office and has been looking at other options that would limit the power of his position when senate seats become available. Another amendment would change the title of public relations chair to director of public relations. The public relations committee would focus solely on keeping the student body informed on campus issues, and events such as Meet the Senate Week would no longer be held. The amendments will be discussed and voted on at the final senate meeting of the spring semester Friday, April 27. President-elect Dwayne Bess plans to speak at the meeting to show his support for the changes. The last proposed amendment was approved in February, which prevented the president from being able to move newly elected senators to positions on the executive board. Finance Board Chair Rick Box submitted a resolution that would award money to four student organizations each year for their contributions to campus life. The best annual event that has run three or more years would be awarded $2,000. The best event running less than three years, as well as the most diverse program and best educational program, would receive $1,000 each. The senate also granted final approval of the 2001 student government election results and $8,712 in annual allocations to student organizations previously reviewed by the finance board. The senate retracted $2,000 previously funded to the Black Student Association's Carter G. Woodson Commemorative Celebration, scheduled to take place May 4 in the Meridian Ballroom of the Morris University Center. The event, which was approved for $4,985 in early March, was originally scheduled to feature nationally renowned speaker Dr. Bertice Berry. According to Black Student Association president Jimmel Chambers, Berry backed out of the event at the last minute. Berry would have been paid $4,000, which is the maximum allowed by student government. Roland I. Neal, a pastor at McCasland Temple Church of God in Christ in East St. Louis, agreed to speak for the amount of money Berry would have been paid. The executive board said Neal's credentials were not on par with Berry's, brought the program back to the senate and suggested lowering the amount to $1,500. The senate settled on giving Neal $2,000, but as of Friday he had not been notified of a change. According to Chambers, the event will still go on if Neal backs out. In other funding requests, the Indian Student Association, which was allocated $450 by the board, appealed for an additional $100 for a banner to promote their organization. The request was rejected. | |