Student senate shuffles members
Student Senate will decide whether to change its bylaws for the first time this year at tonight’s meeting.
The proposal would redistrict the Student Senate to 14 at-large members, eight on-campus members and eight off-campus members. Currently, there are 10 Student Senate members for each district.
Proponents to the change believe more students who live on campus wish to be involved with Student Senate. With more at-large seats, it will allow for more flexibility in the Student Senate.
Since, there will still be an equal number of on- and off-campus members, there will still be equal representation, said Carolyn Beck, who submitted the proposal along with senate member Kenney Kozik.
During the Oct. 4 meeting, there was opposition from off-campus senate members.
Off-campus senate member Bobbie Mitchell said he didn’t believe there was a disinterest in Student Senate in the off-campus district. The change would also limit the voice of his constituents.
Richard Luce, another off-campus member, mentioned off-campus issues hardly see the light of day in the Student Senate.
But support for the proposed change is also seen in the senate.
The change would allow the best qualified candidates to be on Student Senate. The senate needs to represent the whole student body, not just its districts, said at-large member Tori Frazier.
In other business, the Student Senate will begin debate on two University Board money allocations approved at the Oct. 5 Apportionment Board meeting.
One of the allocations is for $18,000, which is to be used to conduct three Up All Nite programs during the Spring semester. The money would be used for inflatables, novelties and other supplies for all three nights. Part of the money will also be used to buy an X-Box 360 for the Cyber Lounge.
“This is a lot of money for UB,” said Student Senate Speaker Kent Ohms. “The senate will take a good look at it.”
Another $6,384 for UB is also being presented to the senate. That money would go toward the continuing of the Coffee House Series for next semester.
Also, a resolution will be introduced that requests that all faculty use WEB-CT to post students’ grades by the end of the Spring semester.
The Student Senate meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Arcola-Tuscola Room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.