Senate rejects required signatures bill

SGA Senators William Nash and Jordan Summerford listen at the Jan. 17 meeting of the SGA Senate. A bill to reduce the number of required signatures to apply for a senator position was rejected at the meeting.

The UNA SGA Senate met Jan. 17 to discuss a variety of topics and to vote on two key bills.

Bill 13-01 was a bill proposed to change the number of signatures necessary to receive an interview for all SGA Senate applicants.

Some senators argued that acquiring 240 signatures to apply for SGA Senate is too difficult and deters potential senators from applying for the position. Bill 13-01 was proposed to change the requirements to a professional resume and a recommendation letter from a faculty member in order for applicants to obtain an interview for the SGA Senate.

Other senators opposed this bill, stating that the signatures were important to show an applicant’s effort and willingness to become an SGA senator and to allow other students on campus to become familiar with those applying to become SGA senators.

The bill failed with a final vote of 12 yes, 10 no and 3 abstain.

Jordan Brasher, SGA senate vice president, said the bill failed because “alterations to the code of laws must pass by a two-thirds vote of senate.”

Bill 13-02 was a bill proposed to utilize part of a miscellaneous fund to fund a leadership summit for high school juniors and seniors that might be interested in student government, Brasher said.

Bill 13-02 passed unanimously.

Other topics discussed at the SGA meeting included the proposal to extend fall break for UNA students.

The proposal, which was to remove the existing fall break and to add fall break to the week of Thanksgiving break, was denied.

SGA President Will Riley read from a report saying, “The proposal was approved by the SGA and staff senate but was rejected by the faculty senate due to scheduling concerns for Monday classes that only meet once a week and in loss of fall break.”

SGA also discussed its Sunset Fountain 5K to take place April 13 at 5 p.m.

The Sunset Fountain 5K will begin at UNA’s fountain, located near Bibb Graves Hall, and will take place downtown. The 5K has been organized in order to help SGA raise funds for the SGA Endowed Scholarship fund.

Also discussed at the meeting, SGA announced that the SGA Endowed Scholarship fund has reached $9,400.