Several senators called for the disbanding of the Police Blotter Committee at the Student Government Association meeting on Nov. 6.
James Bonsall, treasurer, said he wasn’t sure what the committee would actually do after the results of the survey had been tallied, and that SGA wouldn’t benefit from working further with the committee.
“It’s not going to do SGA any good to continue working on this issue,” Bonsall said. “There is no win with student government in any way.”
Ruben Otero, SGA Student Program Council liaison, said the committee shouldn’t be dissolved until a report is given on the results of the survey SGA has been conducting.
Jonathan Moody, chair of the Police Blotter Committee and senator, said he wasn’t sure when he would formally dissolve the committee, but wanted to go over the results of their survey and give a report on it at their Nov. 13 meeting.
Bonsall said students had been stopping him in class, telling him they thought SGA was trampling on the rights of The Horizon.
A senator who was confirmed at the Nov. 6 meeting, Lee Allen, said he had heard negative comments from students about the survey, saying they thought it was a response to SGA vice president Jacob Korff’s DUI arrest on Oct. 20.
Flo Gonya, SGA president, said the survey wasn’t a reaction to Korff’s title being published in the police blotter.
“We were trying to use it as a tool to get student opinion, and that’s all it was about,” Gonya said. “As far as using it as some sort of weapon, that’s not going to happen.”
Gonya said she expects to be held accountable for her actions, including seeing those mistakes printed in The Horizon.
“If I screw up, you’re going to read about it in the paper,” Gonya said.
Jeff Martin, chief justice, pointed out the survey didn’t ask whether titles of students in student organizations should be published.
While the senate was discussing the future of the Police Blotter Committee, Joshua Garcia, senator, resigned from the committee.
Moody said once the results of the survey have been calculated, they will be sent to The Horizon.
“If The Horizon think the students are wrong, they think the students are wrong,” Moody said. “If they think what the students have to say has some merit, they may consider those opinions.”
At the end of the meeting, Brandon Bradley, political science junior, gave his opinion on the police blotter.
“I like seeing it in the newspaper,” Bradley said. “People know they will be held accountable. Drug dealers are going to think twice about dealing on campus.
“I appreciate what SGA is doing on getting opinions, but I don’t know what’s going to be done because of it.”
Bradley said college students are adults and need to conduct themselves as such.
“You’re not in high school anymore. This is college,” Bradley said. “You’re an adult. Grow up.”
During his report at the meeting, Robbie Baker, technology officer, said he would consider building a Web site to put International Standard Book Numbers on, and would see what he would need to do to build and maintain such a site.
During the university affairs report, Bonsall said he had fielded a complaint from a student about a ticket she had received during the first week of classes this semester. She had a student parking permit, parked in a blue zone and was cited for it. Bonsall said she didn’t know she wasn’t allowed to park in the blue zones, which are reserved for faculty and staff.
During her report, Gonya said officers need to submit written job descriptions to her for the Student Life Committee.
“When the SLC looks at our budget for next year, I want them to see how much work you do,” Gonya said.
By JEROD CLAPP
Senior Editor
jlclapp@ius.edu