Moving Forward

SGA looks to restore students’ faith in organization

By Katie Thisdell, contributing writer
Posted on September 20, 2007

There was an empty chair at Tuesday’s SGA meeting after Brandon Eickel announced his official and immediate resignation as student body president among strong peer support.

As the meeting began, Eickel explained his choice.

“While this was the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make, I feel that it is the best,” Eickel said. “It is my hope that my decision will allow this organization to renew its focus in helping students throughout this year.”

Eickel said he plans to remain an active member of the JMU community.

“Although I will no longer hold the title of student body president, I am taking the high road and I will continue to serve the students at JMU as I have over the past three years but in new capacities,” he said.

As he exited the Highlands Room, members of the Senate gave him a standing ovation showing their support.

“In my opinion, SGA is moving forward from this controversy,” Georgia Weidman, a computer science graduate student, said. “I hope this will restore student faith in the SGA.”

The meeting continued as Vice President of Student Affairs Lindsay Dowd asked for the class officer reports.

The senior class announced work on a senior class T-shirt as well as a fall and spring senior week, the junior class reported meeting with Hillel to make Jewish holidays more inclusive, and the freshman worked on the Mr. Freshmen Pageant.

Class reports were followed by staff reports.

Senators Heather Shuttleworth and Caitlin McPartland announced that SGA will handle voter registration and absentee ballots on the Commons during the next 4 weeks. After next week students can go by the SGA offices for the information.  They will also be circulating a petition for an online request for an absentee ballot.

Senators Tara Rife and Dan Stana, chairs of academic affairs, announced that a student concern had recently been brought to their attention. They said that currently, students are paying high fees to get credit for unpaid internships, and some don’t think it’s fair.

“We’re going to sit down with administration and find out why that number is so high and where it’s going,” Rife said.

At this time student Senate Advisor Dave Barnes discussed SGA’s violation of the Open Meeting Law in Virginia on a motion for Eickel’s possible impeachment and DiDomenico’s confirmation to the position of speaker of the student senate.

“In fact the vote [for DiDomenico] was not valid, and I apologize for this,” Barnes said.

After an open vote, the vote for DiDomenico was repeated and she was confirmed as speaker of the senate.

The Senate also passed the House Rules for the 2007-08 year. Lee Brooks and Sarah Pineres, chairs of the Communications and Internal Affairs Committee, presented the new rules. They include attendance requirements, proxy votes, contingency account proposals, and bill and amendment submission.

Each of the fourteen rules passed with unanimous consent. Pineres and Brooks urged for Senate approval, as the rules were similar to those implemented last year.

Before the document was voted on in its entirety, Brooks added one amendment to Rule III, Section B. He motioned to amend the rule to include the silencing of all cell phones and electronic devices during meetings.

“I really do think that this is important as a courtesy to Senators and guests,” Brooks said.

The rules were amended and passed.

As the meeting ended, DiDomenico announced that she has appointed new members for a neutral Elections Committee to fill the position of student body president.

DiDomenic said that applications for interested candidates are now available online and are due on Sept. 26.  The election will take place on Oct. 4.

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