Senate holds first meeting
By Rachana Dixit, news editor
Posted on September 14, 2006

During Tuesday’s first official Student Senate meeting of the year, Senate Speaker Stephanie Genco (Sr.) was confirmed by the senate after the body debated in closed session for more than 30 minutes.

Last spring, a new bill was introduced that changed some rules regarding the election and confirmation of the Speaker of the Senate.

Though returning senators did have an opportunity to see Genco preside over the last meeting of the 2005-’06 school year, the 37 new members present had to vote based on her brief speech to the senate Tuesday.

Genco spoke about what the SGA motto could be for the upcoming school year. She said the first idea, was “We the Change,” based on JMU’s “Be the Change” campaign. Though she said the idea started out as a joke, she later realized it was perfect.

“The idea of ‘We the Change’ can apply inside and outside of this room,” Genco said, referring to all students involved in SGA.

“I feel like this year is the year to make the change,” she said. “We can all have a positive impact.”

In addition to Genco’s speech, Student Body President Brandon Eickel (Jr.) opened Tuesday’s meeting with a welcome address for the senate’s new and familiar faces.

“Today marks the beginning, and beginnings are wonderful things,” he said. Eickel encouraged all members of SGA to grow individually and grow as a whole organization in order to better serve the student community.

“Fully commit yourselves while looking toward the future,” Eickel said. During his address, he passed out purple sheets of paper and asked every senator and staff member to write, “It is May 2007…” and write down something they hope to achieve during the school year.

“I’m confident that we will be successful in all our endeavors this year,” he said.

All Executive Council members also gave initial reports for their respective positions. The 2006-’07 Executive Council members are Eickel, vice president of Academic Affairs Lee Brooks (Jr.), vice president of Student Affairs Aimee Cipicchio (Sr.) and executive treasurer Robert Burden (Jr..). All members were elected last spring during student body general elections.

No bills were introduced during this meeting. Once bills are introduced, in order for the Student senate to be able to vote and pass bills, quorum has to be met. Out of a full senate of 107 seats, quorum is met when two-thirds of all seats are filled.

Parliamentarian Robert Roodhouse (Jr.) emphasized that quorum has to be met so the whole Senate’s view is accurately represented when passing and rejecting bills.