Senators debate SGA awards, phone lines

Wanting to change a few of the finance committee’s recommendations, the Student Government Association Senate amended its front-end budget Tuesday.

Some of these areas include reducing money for media costs, printing, cutting a phone line and reducing travel expenses.

The first amendment debated had SGA put $205 from contingency into a budget that would give additional funds for the Mr. & Mrs. Madison awards that are handed out during homecoming to two seniors for whom the student body votes.

The next amendment was proposed by freshman Brendan Travis, at-large senator, who asked that $408 go back into the budget to restore a phone line that was cut by the finance committee.

Travis said SGA would only have three lines if this phone line was cut — two with call out capabilities, the other with fax properties.

Junior Matt Gray, finance committee chair, said the finance committee cut this item because the committee was told the SGA needed it only for the “sake of convience.”

Junior Ricardo Pineres, Ashby Hall senator, said that there are times when said. “They had to use their [cell phone plans’] minutes.”

Ryan Powell, Freshman Class Council president, said that when trying to plan events, it can be difficult with the amount of phones SGA currently has and cutting one would make conducting business more difficult.

The next amendment, also proposed by Travis, was to return $386 to the budget so six people, not four, could attend the annual SGA conference, COSGA. The amendment did not pass.

Travis said, “According to our constitution, we have six executive members. We should be sending six to COSGA.”

However, Gray said that the standard over the years is that SGA has four executive council members — president, vice president of academic affairs, vice president of student affairs and treasurer. The other two postions, speaker of the house and chief of staff, are ex-facio executive members.

Travis’s next proposed amendment passed, which would return $90.42 into the budget so some SGA members could get business cards.

“We gave other organizations money for this specific purpose,” Travis said.

The next item debated was an amendment proposed by Travis to add a total of $1,500 for scholarships for SGA chief of staff, director of communications, historian and parliamentarian, which was not passed.

However, Gray said, “No one has said these people don’t work hard.” However, he said there should be a constitutional amendment that would add these positions to the SGA Constitution to receive the scholarship, not through debate.

Junior Lauren Broussard, ISAT senator, said the $1,500 would be better for the student body if placed back into contingency.

The next amendment, proposed by Pineres, was to add $343.65 to pay for hotel rooms during the lobbying trips. The amendment passed.

“We’ve funded hotels for lots of groups,” Pineres said.

Gray said the finance committee does not see why the lobbying students could not make it a day trip because the lobbying is in Richmond.

Travis, who went on one of the lobbying trips, said it is important to have the night for strategizing. He also said with traffic accidents and congestion, leaving in the morning to go to Richmond could make the students late for their appointments.

Sophomore Mackenzie Shimon, College of Arts and Letters senator said during the SGA lobbying trip, the group of senators had three hours to visit 40 delegates and they needed to represent JMU professionally, which meant being rested and on time.

The next amendment, which also passed, was proposed by Spencer to add $90 for Wade Robson Project publicity and Wade Robson Project II publicity.

Spencer said the Sophomore Class Council needs this additional money to reach all the students, and that often he and his committee members are forced to spend money out of their own pockets to make sure its publicity needs are met.

An amendment submitted by sophomore Matt Taylor, director of information and technology, asked for $200 for general computer supplies. The amendment did not pass.

Taylor said the SGA needs disks, cables and other materials necessary to keep their computers working.

Gray said when something specific is needed by the SGA, then the item could be purchased out of the reserves account, not through contingency.