Senators hold resolutions at first spring meeting
By LAUREN BAKER | Jan. 13, 2009Student senators kicked off the New Year with a few resolutions of their own Tuesday night at the first Senate meeting of spring semester.
Student senators kicked off the New Year with a few resolutions of their own Tuesday night at the first Senate meeting of spring semester.
Select merchandise will be 20 percent off at the University of Florida Bookstores today thanks to a continued effort by Student Government.
Suggestions from the Student Senate committee that reviewed the Replacement and Agenda Committee's ethical process were met with mixed reviews Tuesday.
Senators will hunker down for back-to-back meetings tonight to wrap up the fall semester.
Orange and Blue Party Sen. Benjamin Dictor, who represents the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has announced that he intends to run for Student Body president this spring.
Legislation aiming to reduce Student Senate's minority party protections was rejected at Tuesday night's meeting. If passed, the proposed rules would have required 40 percent approval from senators present to add nominations for open committee seats in addition to those already made by the Replacement and Agenda Committee. Currently, 20 percent is required.
After meeting for five hours Tuesday night, student senators will have some unfinished business to attend to after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Student Senate ended without voting on legislation that would limit the power of the minority party early Wednesday morning after a five-hour meeting.
At tonight's Student Senate meeting, members will vote on legislation that would limit the power of the minority party in addition to voting on a controversial nomination for Image chairman.
Student Senate is going on a field trip.
Some student leaders have made efforts in recent weeks to make Student Government more transparent since October's private e-mail scandal.
In a special meeting Thursday, student senators approved a resolution that urges UF students to consider the "severe negative consequences" of Amendment 2, which defines marriage as a legal union between a man and woman and could affect UF's benefits for employees with domestic partnerships.
Members of Student Senate voted against considering a resolution Tuesday that would have forced them to take a stance on an amendment on the ballot concerning marriage in Florida.
Following a renewed effort at transparency and bipartisanship in Student Government, a new Student Senate committee was created to review the selection process for replacement senators and committee seats; however some senators feel the endeavor has no clout.
Nineteen senators - 12 from the Gator Party, six from the Orange and Blue Party and one independent senator - were appointed to Student Senate committees during Tuesday's meeting.
In a two-part Student Senate meeting that lasted about five hours, 46 new senators were sworn in and new Senate leaders were elected.
Student Body President Kevin Reilly and Senate President Kellie Dale have verified the authenticity of private e-mails sent between them and other Student Government officials concerning summer Senate appointments and committee assignments.
Although he was re-elected to his seat following last week's Student Government elections, Orange and Blue Party Sen. Ben Cavataro could lose his position in Student Senate..
The Student Government Election Commission began hearing the first dozen of about 50 election violation complaints Thursday night at the Reitz Union.
Fresh off a dramatic campaign season, some members of Student Government said they are ready to get to work, following an SG election that brought about 20 percent of the student body to the polls.