The theme for the Student Government Association’s meeting on Jan. 22 was “new.”
The SGA has a new vice president, Josh Sesar, former chair; a new chair, Amanda Denbo, former pro tempore, and five new senators, Kyle Chiang, biology sophomore; Beverly Raley, international studies sophomore; Melissa Pritchett, nursing junior; Elizabeth Jackson, international studies and French junior; and Eman Al’araj, international studies freshman.
A nomination for senate secretary and senate pro tempore was taken. Jennifer Broadus was nominated and unanimously elected senate secretary.
Senate pro tempore nominees were Abrar Syed, Jonathan Moody and Amber Townsend.
“I have leadership qualities like Obama,” Syed said.
Moody said he should be appointed because he was there all the time.
Townsend won five out of the eight votes.
“I care about what we can accomplish,” she said.
Adding to the newly elected was Lee Allen, who is now interior/exterior affairs executive secretary.
In student forum, Justin Meredith, political science and Spanish junior, proposed that signatures should be gathered from IUS students to send to President Obama as a reminder of his promise to help with college tuition cost.
“We should hold his feet to the fire,” Meredith said.
A resolution was passed to support the Student Life Committee, suggesting a 2 percent increase of the student activity fee for the 2009-10 academic year. The 2 percent increase averages out to be 10 cents per credit hour, which is down from the 3 percent increase for the 2008-09 academic school year. The SGA encourages any student with an opinion about the activity fee to stop by their office and fill out a Student Activity Fee survey.
Richard Young, senator, brought up concerns of students that recently had possessions ruined when a sprinkler system malfunctioned in their lodge.
Prospective advisor for the SGA Jen Crompton, assistant director of housing, informed the senator that all students that live on campus sign a contract that states that they should purchase some form of renters insurance because the lodges are not liable for damages to personal property.
Other issues that were covered were increased cost in the food court and that cake that was used at an event was being resold.
The concern was cleared up when the forum was informed that food services buy in bulk; not just one cake was purchased.
Jonathan Moody, speaking on behalf of absent SGA President Flo Gonya, presented legislation that the weekend before semester classes start should be a tax-free holiday were the book store would not charge tax up to a certain dollar amount depending on the cost of purchase.
By LORI RICHIE
Staff Writer
larichie@ius.edu