Student Senate met for almost three hours during Tuesday’smeeting as it listened to representatives from various studentorganizations began its review of proposed changes to the StudentCode of Conduct and discussed three new pieces of legislation.
Student Body President Chip Hiemenz reported he was workingextensively to make the campus safer for students, faculty andstaff. The president met with Lt. Enrique Jemmott to schedule asafety and self-defense class for Student Senate next week. Thelieutenant teaches a general class for the SMU community at theDedman Center for Lifetime Sports. Hiemenz also announced thebeginnings of a new Hilltop Watch Committee and asked senators tostep up and join him in helping making the campus a saferplace.
Student Body Vice President Liz Healy echoed thepresident’s requests for participation. Healy expressed herfrustration with the senators’ apparent apathy as far as boththeir duties as senators and for campus-participation.
Less than 10 senators have steadily attended their weekly officehours since the beginning of class. The vice president referred thesenators to the appropriate section of the Student Senate By-Lawsto remind them of their duties. “I don’t buy that youdon’t have one hour during the week to come up to theSAC,” she said.
Healy encouraged senators to get actively involved in events oncampus and reprimanded them for not following through on thosecommitments on some occasions. “It looks so bad when we tellpeople that we will have a Senate presence at an event, and not oneof you shows up,” she said.
She, with Organizations Chair Melissa Dozier, also remindedsenators to get in touch with their affiliate organizations so thesenators would have legislation to submit. “There are so manythings we could be doing,” Healy said. “There areenumerable amounts of resources available.”
From the speaker’s podium, several staff members andstudents appeared to speak to the senate.
Carol Clyde, director of leadership and community involvement,advocated the Alternative Spring Break program. Jerry Alexander,director of the Hegi Family Career Center, encouraged any senatorsand all students interested in obtaining a job in the mediaindustry to attend an upcoming program “Careers inMedia” program.
Program Council President Alicia Hills arrived to encourage allthe senators to participate in upcoming Program Council events andeven passed out a list of upcoming events to each senator.
Matt Houston came on behalf of the Associate of Black Studentsto encourage senators to step up and get involved in all oforganization’s events. He emphasized that race should notpreclude any of the senators from attending any events. First-yearSenator Kevin Lavelle volunteered on the spot to work with theassociation’s upcoming Habitat for Humanity project.
Director Arlene Manthey echoed the speakers and student bodyofficers’ urges of involvement.
“Where are you with your position’s goals andresponsibilities?” she asked on the written agenda.
During committee reports, Senate voted unanimously to uphold theappropriations committee recommendation to fund $75 to the TableTennis club for its intercollegiate dues.
In new business, the committee recommended, unanimously, infavor of funding $830 to the Multicultural Greek Council for thepublishing and mailing of recruiting postcards.
Senate also voted unanimously to allow two new organizations tobegin the new chartering process. ACM, an organization dedicated todeveloping community spirit among computer science students, andYWCA, an organization focused on empowering women and girls andeliminating racism, will begin the next step – 10-weeksprobationary period – before another Senate meeting willdecide the status of the organization.
In new business, the organizations committee recommendedapproving charter applications from the International StudentFellowship and the Northwest Bible Church Ministry.
Senators asked questions regarding three new pieces oflegislation.
Engineering Senator Rafael Alvarez and Asian-American SenatorJason Shyung authored a bill asking senate to fund $1,100 for aRamadan dinner, “where all SMU students are welcome to attendafter the day-long campus-wide Fast-A-Thon. The MuslimStudent’s Association requested the funds for the use of theUmphrey Lee Ballroom and for half the costs of the dinner beingordered from a “HALAL” Chinese Restaurant. The meat forthe dinner must be specially prepared according to the Islamicstandards of cutting meat.
Shyung also authored a bill to fund Omega Delta Phi $938 to holda regional conference, which the organization hopes will”improves its national image among the regions’chapters.”
Dedman II Senator Cason Pierce authored a bill to fund $6,700for the Alternative Spring Break program. According to thelegislation, the program only received a portion of the necessaryfunds during last year’s budget process because “of anambiguous and complicated budget request process.” Thefunding will allow the program to rent 10 minivans and buy thenecessary site supplies associated with each project.
Voting on a bill to fund $249 for the printing of 1,000 fundingbrochures was postponed as more information was still beingresearched.
On the docket
Next week Student Senate will be voting on the following piecesof legislation:
• A bill to fund $1,100 for Ramadan dinner, where all SMUstudents are welcome to attend after the day-long campus-wideFast-A-Thon.
• A bill to fund $6,700 for Alternative Spring Break.
• A bill to fund Omega Delta Phil $938 to hold a regionalconference for their fraternity
Student Body Gabe Travers discussed.
• A bill to fund $249 for the printing of 1,000 fundingbrochures.
