Posted on September 13, 2007
Updated Friday, 1:30p.m.
While Tuesday’s first senate meeting seemed to focus on the censure and possible impeachment of Student Body President Brandon Eickel, Stefanie DiDomenico was also elected as the speaker of the student Senate and a bill was also passed.
After the Finance Committee Bill was passed there was a motion to move into executive session to elect DiDomenico as speaker of the student senate. All friends of the senate and press were asked to leave the meeting at this time.
Since the Student Government Association did not provide a valid, legal exemption as specified by Va.’s open- meeting law, the press refused to leave in that the Virginia law had not been followed. The press remained as a representative of the public in an open meeting.
The Finance Committee Bill, authored by Senator Jeff Watson, was unanimously passed and went into effect immediately. It changed Article IV, Section 5 of the constitution of the SGA concerning choosing members of the finance committee.
Under the original constitution, there was a specified structure. Now, the membership requirements are less specific. Watson believes that the changes will introduce a better structure that will help balance the committee.
“It’s not that people don’t want to join the Finance Committee, it’s that they can’t,” Watson said.
The bill changes the structure from two college senators, two campus senators, and three at-large senators, to one from each of the three specific backgrounds and four appointed by the speaker of the Senate.
There was a short debate on the issue, but the senators heeded Senator Daniel Stana’s advice.
“Take care of it in one shot, get it over with and I urge you to vote yes for this bill,” Stana said.
Watson and Contingency Liaison Charles Shaw also clarified finance regulations for the senators. Executive Treasurer Robert Burden announced that the SGA funding for the current school year is $48,249.
“We really do want to give you this money, and give it for the right reasons,” Watson said.
Contingency funding is available to any non-Front End Budget organization that meets certain criteria. Up to $2,000 can be requested two times each year.
The second bill to pass was the Censure Bill presented by Senior Class President Katelyn Grant. The proposed censure was a repercussion in response to Eickel’s campaign platform. The bill was passed after lengthy debates.
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