This edition of Council Clippings covers the UHR and GSS meetings from Feb.12, 2008.
Bill of the Week: S.O.S.
PASSED: Joint allocation to Students Organizing for Sustainability, requesting $201.22 to cover transportation and registration costs to attend the Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference in Valdosta, Ga. (passed GSS 23-0-1; passed UHR 27-8-1)
The funding that was being requested in the Joint Allocation for Students Organizing Sustainability bill would pay for the already-incurred travel and registration expenses for students travelling to the 5th Annual Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference in Valdosta, GA. The conference was a place for students from various schools to discuss climate change, sustainability efforts and provides for them an opportunity to network with other students.
Eight students travelled to and attended the conference. When the bill came up for discussion, there was initially an issue with the fact that funding would be provided for an event that had already taken place. This was an unusual circumstance because funding is usually not provided for after the fact. The JFC recommended not funding the bill because the bill was submitted less than two weeks before the actual event took place.
“This bill is allowed to be considered as a post-event payment because it was out of the organization’s control,” said Nick Wellkamp, the bill’s sponsor in the UHR. Wellkamp took the blame for the bill not being brought to the attention of the SGA in time to be considered at the appropriate time.
“I see no problem considering this bill,” said MATH senator Mitch Keller, the GSS sponsor of the bill. It was also argued that the organization was a new one and should be provided some leniency. It was the organization’s first bill, and it was argued they should be allowed a manner of leeway on the rules, whereas other organizations such as the Black Graduate Student Association have faced sharp criticism recently for last-minute funding requests.
UHR Impeaches Representatives
In response to a loss of quorum two weeks ago, the UHR brought impeachment proceedings against several representatives who have been chronically absent. ARCH representative John Tankard, ME Representative Abishkek Kumar and Senior Representative Ronak Kamdar resigned from the UHR in light of the Articles of Impeachment that were filed against each of them.
BME representative Michael Chervonski and ML Representative Corey Myers had their Articles of Impeachment approved by unanimous acclamation at the UHR meeting. Both Chervonski and Myers were not present at the meeting and were unable to address the UHR.
The vote on ECON representative John Akins’ Articles of Impeachment failed to garner the three-fifth vote that are required for impeachment charges to be brought upon him. The Articles of Impeachment were nullified. Akin was present at the UHR meeting and addressed the house, offering as an excuse his taking of the LSAT and the preparatory classes that went along with it.
Condolences
Both houses passed a resolution expressing their condolences to the family and friends of William Sayle, a professor in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering who passed away at the age of 66 from pancreatic cancer.
Next Week
Next week the GSS will consider two joint allocation bills which the UHR has already passed, to the Taiwanese American Student Association and the Student Center Programs Council Concert Committee.
Additionally both houses will consider funding bills to the African American Student Union, Campus Christian Fellowship, Students of Objectivism, Muslim Students Association, Trailblazers and Phi Psi Textile Fraternity.