The Student Government Association heard Wednesday the firstreading of legislation that would expand the number oforganizational seats along with other changes in the caucus.
The legislation will increase the number of seats in the caucusfrom eight to 12, end the deadline for organizations, clarify howthey can apply and how SGA removes a group. The current bylaws seta deadline of the first week of October for applications, thoughall the other caucuses accept applications throughout the year.
The number of new seats in the legislation has changed since itscreation, originally starting at 10 and then moving to 15.
Sen. Chris Kurtz, co-author of the legislation, said he andco-author Steve Geraci, president pro tempore, decided to move thenumber down to 12 to find a better balance between the at-largecaucus, which has 10 members, and the on-campus and off-campuscaucuses, which have 17.
He also said SGA needed to be careful not letting any group intoSGA. The organizations already in the senate, such as Spectrum,Black Student Association and Interfraternity Council, serve aspecific purpose on campus and bring representation to students whomight not otherwise have it, Kurtz said.
The number of seats is subject to change, though, Kurtzsaid.
Ben Tietz, SGA president, said he was concerned the legislationwould make it too easy for organizations to come and go when theseats are meant to be permanent.
"We need to make sure it doesn't become an open door fororganizations to come and leave, come and leave," Tietz said. "It'sa matter of being able to look at organizations and being able toanalyze what they bring to senate."
Geraci said SGA will have a second reading of the legislationand will probably vote on it at its 3:15 p.m. Wednesday meeting inL.A. Pittenger Student Center Cardinal Hall A.
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