Student Government Association entered its final transition phase Wednesday, during its last business meeting under the Manship administration.
Senate unanimously approved At-Large and Off-Campus senators, who will take office alongside the Tietz administration at SGA's March 24 induction. This is the first time senate selected its members before induction, president Jayson Manship said.
"This way, people can continue working on legislation," Manship said. "They're continuing to stay in the process and work and roll with the system."
Senate has passed three pieces of legislation so far in the spring semester. Two concerned the internal organization. President-elect Ben Tietz said after SGA vice-president Adam Ittenbach left, shuffling members of the executive branch slowed down senate.
"It takes a little while to get back into the swing of things," Tietz said.
President pro tempore Meghan Newlund said the senators are spending more time doing research for their proposals. They will bring more recommendations to the floor near the end of the semester, Newlund said.
"They want facts and research before they push things through," Newlund said. "It's kind of how things flow. Legislation comes out in clumps."
During fall semester, Manship said senate passed five recommendations. They dealt with student-made pathways, sidewalk repair, installing outdoor basketball courts, evaluating a global studies requirement and library notifications.
Through spring semester legislation, senate's Governmental Affairs committee added student awareness to its title, and the Community Affairs committee merged with the Environmental Affairs committee.
Governmental Affairs and Student Awareness chairman Steve Geraci said before the legislation passed Jan. 28, members of his committee didn't have enough work. The longer title enables the group to inform students on national, local and campus governmental affairs, Geraci said.
"Not a lot of national government business pertained directly to Ball State," Geraci said. "Now, we let students know what SGA is doing and what state and local governments are doing."
Their first project is organizing a voter drive April 23rd in the Atrium, Geraci said.
"We're trying to get students excited about voting," Geraci said. "We're still trying to find a few more speakers. (Congressman) Mike Pence and (mayor) Dan Canan are the only ones who have formally committed."
The Community Affairs and Environmental Affairs committees had similar responsibilities, according to the senate bill.
These bills passed without Manship's approval and became effective in senate immediately, Manship said. Before leaving office, he will examine legislation passed Wednesday, which recommends installing two more bike racks in front of The Atrium and paving a mulched area there.
The recommendation's author, on-campus senator Chad Wells, said the current bike racks fill up quickly during meal times.
"It's important because of all the students using the bike racks and how crowded it gets," Wells said.
If passed, Tietz will try to push the legislation through University Senate, Manship said.
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