The pending decision of how to structure the government within the university was the main topic of discussion at Wednesday's Student Government Association meeting.
SGA senators unanimously favored the revised senate model. After speaking with their constituents, Senators said they decided the model would better serve SGA and the students.
"The faculty senate model has all its committees under the faculty and professional personnel senates," Parliamentarian Ben Tietz said. "Students are not involved as much because there are no students on those committees."
This opinion was consistent among Senators, as the issue of how much power students would have in each model came into play. Some senators admitted they had trouble understanding what was at hand as President Tolu Olowomeye explained the benefits of the revised senate model. "The revised senate gives us direct access to the Campus Life Council," Olowomeye said. The council is currently called Student Campus Life Council, and SGA does not have a direct voice in it. Olowomeye said she fears legislation supported by SGA would be less likely to pass in the faculty senate model.
She said her reason is because the chair of the executive committee, most likely not a student, would have a bias when the legislation is presented to the Board of Trustees.
Kay Bales, associate vice president for Student Life told SGA under the Faculty Senate model, SGA would lose its direct voice to the University Senate.
This is an option in the revised senate model, Bales said. "I do not think it is to the students' advantage," Bales said. "They would be much better off as a senate body with the revised model." Olowomeye encouraged SGA members and students to attend today's University Senate meeting at 4 p.m. in Teachers College Room 101. A vote is scheduled for the meeting to determine the fate of the university government structure.
"Please voice your opinions," Olowomeye said. "Hearing the discussion of students may sway the vote."
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