A resolution to define the Student Government Association’s stance on The Horizon’s publication of the police blotter was voted down on Nov. 13.
James Bonsall, treasurer, said he thought SGA should stay out of matters regarding what The Horizon prints.
“I don’t think the SGA should be involved in recommending, resoluting, or whatever to The Horizon,” Bonsall said.
The resolution was supposed to show SGA’s official stand on the results of a survey conducted by the Police Blotter Committee, which showed students wanted to see the names of perpetrators of crimes, but not victims or people reporting crimes.
The survey, which lasted for two weeks, got a total of 87 responses.
Jeff Martin, chief justice, said someone who reported a crime and had their name printed in the blotter was threatened by another student.
Martin said he thought if names of those reporting crimes were printed, other students might be reluctant to notify police of crimes.
Flo Gonya, SGA president, said the intention of the committee and the survey was to get the opinion of students, not to keep The Horizon from reporting on crime on campus.
“All we wanted to know was what [students] thought about it,” Gonya said. “We have a responsibility to find out what students think about it.”
After the resolution was called to a vote, it was voted down with 10 nays. Abrar Syed, Melissa Lamanna, senators, and Joshua Sesar, senate chair, voted in favor of the bill. One senator abstained from voting.
Jonathan Moody, chair of the police blotter committee and author of the resolution, voted against the resolution.
Gonya gave a report on her efforts to weigh food portions from the IUS Food Court and also food from fast food restaurants.
She said she had received about 10 e-mail complaints from students about the food court.
Gonya said SGA will have a table outside of the senate office for the week of Nov. 17 with portions of pizza and chicken from the IUS Food Court and signs showing the prices of those portions.
Gonya said the cost isn’t her only concern. She said the nutrition value of the food was something else she was worried about, saying some of the foods offered are very high in carbohydrates.
“We don’t need the freshman 15,” Gonya said. “As a society, we are getting obese.”
During the judicial report, Chief Justice Jeff Martin said more students need to be present at parking appeals meetings so they don’t lose the majority representation on the board.
The parking appeals board includes three students who have a vote on whether someone’s appeal is granted or denied. Two students were present at the last appeals meeting.
Martin said one appeal was accepted at the last meeting, but he thought three should have been granted. Martin attributed the denial of those appeals to the lack of student representation at the meeting.
Another action item on the agenda was a bill to allot $50 to the International Student Organization for their Day of the Dead celebration.
The event was supposed to be held on Nov. 6, and an exhibition was supposed to be displayed in the Ogle Center from Nov. 3 to Nov. 6.
Jennifer Broadus, senator and author of the bill, said the event never happened and the exhibition was never on display, either. The bill did not receive a vote.
The senate also considered adding another adviser to their ranks. Jen Crompton, assistant director of residence life, had talked to some of the senators about issues she thought SGA could address.
Bonsall said he thought Crompton would be able to provide a unique perspective as an adviser to SGA.
Crompton said she would be happy to accept the nomination.
“This group has a lot of potential to be a force on this campus and give a voice to the students,” Crompton said.
After two motions were made to vote Crompton on as an adviser, Martin said the process of choosing and adding an adviser is more involved than getting a majority vote from the senate.
Adding an adviser is a complex process which includes forming a search committee, which consists of three students, two faculty members and two administrators.
Crompton said she’d be happy to speak with the senate and give ideas and guidance, even if she weren’t voted in as an adviser.
By JEROD CLAPP
Senior Editor
jlclapp@ius.edu