2008 Woodie Awards
Senate winds down, plans for next year
Mindy Townsend
Issue date: 5/10/07 Section: Campus Life
SGA tied up loose ends at the final meeting of the 2006-2007 school year on Wednesday night, setting the 2007-2008 SGA budget and approving next year's Cabinet.
The budget required much of the Senate's attention. Jeremy Johnson, SGA president, wanted to increase the stipend given to directors from $1,000 to $2,060 for every director but the legislative affairs director, who received $1,380. In addition, the Senate decided to remove the office manager salary from the budget since the position no longer exists.
A new line item was also included in the amended version of the budget. Johnson added $800 for Gorilla Radio, a student organization that eventually wants to build a student-run radio station. Johnson said the money will go toward the purchase of broadcasting equipment that will help get the radio station off the ground. The extra money added to the budget will come from $40,000 carryover from previous years. Johnson added that because of inflation, the money is losing value just sitting in the bank.
"The sooner we spend it on something useful, the better off we are," Johnson said.
The resolution with amendments passed unanimously.
The budget resolution was not the only resolution amended Wednesday night. Last week, Johnson and SGA vice president Larry Fleury, proposed moving the meeting time to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights. But Stephanie Sebring, the newly appointed Big Event director, said that she has cheerleading practice until 7:30 p.m. and other senator-athletes have commitments, as well. There was a proposal to postpone the resolution until a special session to allow people to get their schedules together, to change the night of the meeting, or to table the resolution until next fall. The Senate chose not to postpone or table the resolution, and Mark Johnson, faculty senator, said the Senate could explore other nights, but Wednesday has historically been the best.
"Wednesday night is the only night that doesn't interfere with everything else," he said.
The meeting time was changed to 7:30 p.m. and was passed.
In other business:
* Outgoing Big Event director Danielle Bortmes announced that Sigma Phi Epsilon is no longer allowed to participate in the Big Event. She said the fraternity decided not to finish the job sites assigned to them because they needed to study for finals. Bortmes said that volunteers had a responsibility to finish the job and if they wouldn't do that then they could not participate next year.
"There could be a good excuse, but they didn't have one," Bortmes said.
* Student government advisors Ed Wirthwein and Steve Erwin were approved for another year by the Senate.
* The Senate approved money to buy another computer for the SGA office for the use of the new classified staff position.
The budget required much of the Senate's attention. Jeremy Johnson, SGA president, wanted to increase the stipend given to directors from $1,000 to $2,060 for every director but the legislative affairs director, who received $1,380. In addition, the Senate decided to remove the office manager salary from the budget since the position no longer exists.
A new line item was also included in the amended version of the budget. Johnson added $800 for Gorilla Radio, a student organization that eventually wants to build a student-run radio station. Johnson said the money will go toward the purchase of broadcasting equipment that will help get the radio station off the ground. The extra money added to the budget will come from $40,000 carryover from previous years. Johnson added that because of inflation, the money is losing value just sitting in the bank.
"The sooner we spend it on something useful, the better off we are," Johnson said.
The resolution with amendments passed unanimously.
The budget resolution was not the only resolution amended Wednesday night. Last week, Johnson and SGA vice president Larry Fleury, proposed moving the meeting time to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights. But Stephanie Sebring, the newly appointed Big Event director, said that she has cheerleading practice until 7:30 p.m. and other senator-athletes have commitments, as well. There was a proposal to postpone the resolution until a special session to allow people to get their schedules together, to change the night of the meeting, or to table the resolution until next fall. The Senate chose not to postpone or table the resolution, and Mark Johnson, faculty senator, said the Senate could explore other nights, but Wednesday has historically been the best.
"Wednesday night is the only night that doesn't interfere with everything else," he said.
The meeting time was changed to 7:30 p.m. and was passed.
In other business:
* Outgoing Big Event director Danielle Bortmes announced that Sigma Phi Epsilon is no longer allowed to participate in the Big Event. She said the fraternity decided not to finish the job sites assigned to them because they needed to study for finals. Bortmes said that volunteers had a responsibility to finish the job and if they wouldn't do that then they could not participate next year.
"There could be a good excuse, but they didn't have one," Bortmes said.
* Student government advisors Ed Wirthwein and Steve Erwin were approved for another year by the Senate.
* The Senate approved money to buy another computer for the SGA office for the use of the new classified staff position.
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