The Student Governing Association introduced amendments to the bylaws that would correct “conflicts” regarding the selection of the treasurer at its weekly meeting Thursday.
According to the proposed bill, there were two contradictory pieces of legislation passed in the spring semester of 2016: one mandating that the treasurer be selected in a campus-wide election, and one that allowed executive members of SGA to select the treasurer.
Andrew Peuchen, current treasurer and senior in mechanical engineering, said he believes it was a mistake that both bills were allowed to pass.
Since both bills passed, the current method of selecting the treasurer, an application process, contradicts the bylaws that require a campus-wide election, but, since the bylaws also allow for an application process, the senate has been acting both in and out of accordance with their bylaws.
“We need to straighten this out and get it put back to the way it should be and the way it’s been done, at least this past year,” Peuchen said.
The senate also began the process of redefining its governing relationship with the Graduate Student Council with the re-codification of the GSC-SGA Liaison position.
If passed, the bill will authorize the title change of the GSC president to GSC-SGA Liaison.
The GSC-SGA Liaison will continue to “serve as the connection” between GSC and SGA. The liaison will also speak for all graduate students on the student body president’s cabinet.
Additionally, the liaison would be required to attend GSC meetings and “report at each GSC meeting regarding the student government and university-wide initiatives that SGA is undertaking.”
Stephen Kucera, student support director and graduate student in accounting, said the redefining of the role and title of this position will strengthen the relationship between the cabinet and the GSC.
Kucera said the bylaws have always expressed a desire to develop a relationship between SGA and GSC, but the connection has never been established.
“There are advantages to having someone who serves on cabinet who has access to those conversations, who offers a different perspective and access to different directors in student government,” Kucera said.
The student senate reconvenes at 7 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the Student Union Wildcat Chamber. Agendas for senate and other SGA meetings are available on OrgSync.
