SGA discusses ECP decision

Katelyn Wyszynski / contributing photographer Members of the SGA participate in Tuesday's meeting following the board's decision on emergency contraceptives.

With news on the emergency contraceptive pill from a member of the Board of Visitors, the Student Government Association began its first meeting of the semester last Tuesday.

Senior Timothy Brooks, student representative to the board, spoke to the senate about what occurred at the board’s Jan. 9 meeting.

The board decided that it would allow the ECPs to be distributed from the University Health Center again, and that it gives the administration and medical staff on campus the authority to deal with decisions involving student health.

"The ECP issue was not only one that galvanized the university, but it galvanized our organization," Student Body President Levar Stoney said. "The resolution of the ECP issue shows what hard work can do — this is a springboard into the spring semester."

Stoney also thanked junior Krissy Schnebel, an SGA senator who, according to him, began the school-wide protest.

The SGA also heard from the Student Judicial Coordinators, sophomore J.R. Slosson and senior Rachel Rupright, who presented some current statistics from Judicial Affairs to the Senate.

According to their statistics, 1,818 students currently have one strike, 291 have two and 34 have three.
The SGA also sent three contingency bills to the finance committee, which will discuss them and then decide if they will be voted on in the Senate during its next meeting.

The group Up 'til Dawn submitted a bill to request funds for its event Feb. 20. It requested $3,540 to help support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

The crew club asked SGA for $4,000 to buy new equipment, and Women of Color requested funds to help put on its Men’s and Women’s Conferences.

Women of Color will be spending the money on speakers, publicity and supplies for its conference. The SGA’s contingency currently stands at $23,020.05, according to sophomore Jake Miller, the treasurer.