By Farris Willingham, Senior Staff Writer
Senate’s Steering Committee discussed two proposals Nov. 29 about amending the association’s bylaws, which may be addressed next semester.
The offers pertained to a section in the group’s bylaws that outlines funding for Student Bar Association. SBA is the governing body for law students, serving their 68 organizations.
University officials reinterpreted Student Government Association’s bylaws this year, which affected how much the law organization received.
Read more about the issue here.
If either proposal were approved, senators would have to wait a week before they may discuss or vote on it, Senate President Terrance Craft said.
“That means we’ll probably have to do it next semester,” he said.
SGA President Robin Ladd also has the authority to call a special session for Senate, Craft said.
Sen. Boitmanis (president pro tempore) authored one of the proposals, suggesting senators maintain wording in the bylaws with one addition.
SBA still would get 80 percent of its contribution to Student Senate to fund its respective law organizations, read the proposal. The group also would receive half its contribution to the other branches of SGA.
Click here for a copy of Senate’s proposal.
Senators argue that law students ought to pay more into SGA’s budget because they contribute less than graduates and undergraduates.
Law students pay on average about $20 to SGA annually, while undergraduate and graduate students contribute about $92, Sen. Ramkumar (international) said.
“When you look at it logically, they are getting a discount off of events that are put on for SGA,” he said. “I cannot digest the fact that the rest of the student body is actually paying more towards the branches of government.
“The burden for the rest of the money that goes towards SGA events falls squarely on every other student, which is why I feel that we need to have a compromise.”
Law students responded to Boitmanis’ offer with a counterproposal, which Joseph Pierce, second-year law and former law senator, presented Nov. 29.
The offer has four requests, Pierce said.
They are:
• The law association would receive 80 percent of its contribution to SGA,
• The remaining 20 percent would remain in SGA for its own use,
• Law students will be prohibited from requesting funds from Senate, and
• Changing finance director of “Student Senate” to “SGA.”
There will be no law school legislation or law students coming to ask for money, Pierce said.
“We get our 80 percent, and we leave you guys alone,” he said.
Click here for a copy of the document.
The proposal leaves a fair amount—about $11,000, based on this year’s budget—to cover law student participation in SGA events, Pierce said.
Compromising on a lower value may not be possible for law students, he said.
“At this far along, I think they’re going to stick with 80 percent,” Pierce said.
Law students are upset with the process and may consider seceding from SGA if their proposal is not accepted, he said.
“If you took my proposal as it is now, it would prevent secession,” Pierce said.
During the meeting, Sen. Edwards (math and sciences) suggested a third offer, recommending a 70 percent cut for the law association.
“There are a lot of things that I may not personally agree with, but I believe I would be able to compromise with that amount,” he said.
Pierce said he would present Edwards’ proposal to law students and Dean Valerie Couch, but no action would be taken until Spring 2013.
“Let’s take some time away from this, let tensions cool down a little bit,” Pierce said.
Law students are preparing for finals, which would delay their response to the available proposals, he said.
“The law school is pretty much on pause until next semester,” Pierce said.
Leave a Reply