Bourne addresses SGA
By Heather Cohu, contributing writer
Posted on October 5, 2006

Athletic Director Jeff Bourne gave a special presentation to address the controversy over the JMU Board of Visitors’ decision to eliminate 10 sports teams at Tuesday’s Student Senate meeting. By answering many senators’ specific questions, Bourne shed a little light on the board’s motivations behind making the decision.

“If it was simply a matter of money, we would have never of made this decision,” Bourne said. “Let’s face it: JMU has changed. We have to look to the future and what’s the right thing in the long term.”

Bourne also recognized the consequences that will undoubtedly stem from the decision. “I wish we didn’t have to make this decision,” Bourne said. “We’re working with [the athletes and coaches affected] every day. We’re not their friends right now.”

Senators questioned the way athletes and coaches involved in these sports were notified. Associate Athletic Director Geoff Polgalse served as bearer of the bad news, which Bourne expressed regrets about.

 “A decision like this should come from the athletic director and I regret that it did not,” Bourne said.

Speaker of the Senate Stephanie Genco (Sr.) made it clear that SGA plans to be “active but deliberative” concerning the board’s decision in order to be Title IX compliant.

The body moved into an executive session, where senate members as well as Executive Council members debated in closed session in response to the Title IX decision. A proposal to create an ad hoc, or temporary, committee to discuss the Title IX situation was tabled during the closed session. The proposal will be brought up again at the next senate meeting.

Two bills were approved by the Finance Committee after review and were brought before the full senate to be voted on.

The University Program Board Reserve Bill, which allocates about $250 to UPB for the purchase of new software, as well as the National Student Speech, Language and Hearing Association Contingency Bill, which allocates $1,240 for four members to attend a NSSHLA conference, were passed.

An amendment to the House Rules proposed by Sen. Kristen Schiavone (Sr.) passed with unanimous consent.

Rather than just stating “Any senator with more than three absences — excused or unexcused — will be subject to a motion of investigation for impeachment by the Communications and Internal Affairs Committee,” Schiavone felt that the rule should be more specific by adding that senate members can only have three absences “in a given semester.”

“I just wanted a standard of accountability that we can all be held to,” Schiavone said about her proposed bill.