The Student Government Association student senators met yesterday to discuss allocations that totaled in excess of $6,000 and referendums for three campus organizations who are seeking increases in self- assessed fees. President Brent Callais discussed the upcoming referendums and emphasized points about The Nicholls Worth’s referendum in particular, asking the senators to be fair when discussing and voting on the situation.
“I know there has been a lot of bad blood between The Nicholls Worth and the SGA, and a lot the of senators are upset about articles that have been written. And, some senators say that we will vote them down just to prove that we don’t need them,” Callais said.
“If I hear about any of that, I will be very, very outraged.”
Callais took the words right out of last week’s personal opinion column by Nicholls Worth Editor Aime Gauchet, when he said he would like the senate to not be “childish and petty” when making decisions. He said the senate should think in the best interest of the students, and not on a personal level.
The senators then voted to un-table four motions concerning allocations for various departments.
The mass communication department asked for $1,027 to purchase a scanner and 19 memory cards to upgrade MACO lab 106 in Talbot Hall.
“We are in a nationally accredited department, and so we do get upgraded every six years from the technology fee. What is happening, because of the newer software that we run on campus as a network now, some of our old scanners that we have were rendered useless because of the way the software is run through the network,” Dr. Rick Duet, associate professor of mass communication, said.
Duet said the scanner would last about 10 years, and that it would have a long term effect on students. He also said the mass communication lab is used quite often for projects, and that the scanner and memory cards would directly affect the students who use the computers and lab. The motion passed.
Another motion to allocate $1,928 to the culinary institute was un-tabled as well. This motion was re-tabled after it was resolved that not enough information was present, and the senators had not been properly informed as to what the department was asking for.
The next motion that was taken off of the table was one to allocate $1,356 to purchase benches that would be placed in front of the student union.
Sen. James Irwin asked if Union Services had been approached to see if they had the money to fund the benches themselves.
Sen. Matthew Ford said this would be considered under campus improvements, and the funding would come from there. The motion, after some discussion, passed.
After discussion, Alcie Maxwell, director of student rights and grievances, called for a point of personal privilege.
“Let’s talk about doing our homework around here,” he said.
He said the senators passed a motion without adequate information being provided, and without the right people being contacted.
The final motion to become un-tabled was to allocate $1,750 to purchase a multimedia projector for the department of arts and sciences. This projector would allow teachers to use Powerpoint presentations in their classrooms.
The motion was discussed, and it passed.
Referendums for KNSU, the campus recreation center and The Nicholls Worth were all tabled until the Nov. 28 meeting. They will then be discussed.
