Student Senate members voted to change the frequency of their meetings.
The decision was made to hold meetings on a bi-monthly schedule for the Spring 2015 semester. Previously, the organization held meetings once a week.
The first meeting of the revised schedule will take place at 7:3o p.m. on January 13 in the Great Hall. The change was announced to the campus community via email.
In the press release, Student Senate President Terrance Craft cited the reasons behind the change.
“We had to cancel several meetings last semester due to student organizations not requesting funds from Student Senate through the bill process,” Craft said. “I think meeting on a bi-monthly basis will allow us to get business done while being respectful of our senators’ time.”
During the Fall 2014 semester, only 10 organizations came forward to ask for additional funds during the Student Senate meetings. Because of the lack of requests, several meetings were cancelled. Several senators requested a new meeting schedule to reflect the lack of requests.
President Terrance Craft met with Student Senate’s chief justice, who interpreted the Senate’s constitution to require a full member vote to change the meeting schedule. Members voted electronically over winter break.
Craft said he believes this change shows that student organizations are taking advantage of the allotment budgets.
“I think we are moving to an allotment process, as 42 organizations applied for allotment funding last semester–more than ever before,” Craft said.
Allotments act as primary funding for organizations, and are voted on by Student Senate at the beginning of the year. Funding is based of off number of involved students, events held, and other criteria.
The bill process which occurs during Senate meetings is used as secondary or emergency funding. To receive these extra funds, organizations must work with a Student Senator, who brings their petition for funds forward to the Senate in the form of a bill.
Craft said that the new process might faze out bill process funding entirely.
“More and more organizations are taking advantage of allotments; many don’t need the bill process anymore,” Craft said. “We are going to keep increasing allotments, but all of this is research-based. We are going to try it and see what works.”
Questions about the new schedule or the bill process can be addressed to Terrance Craft at tcraft@my.okcu.edu.
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