Ball State’s Student Government Association (SGA) introduced two amendments Jan. 26 during a pajama-themed meeting.
Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the meeting was hybrid with in-person and virtual attendance options. Twenty-one participants attended via Zoom.
The first amendment introduced proposes to remove the voting limitations on independent committees. The amendment will abolish the formerly established rule that “no senator was permitted to serve as a voting member on more than two independent committees, with the exception of the agenda and survey committees” if passed.
The updated limitations proposed specify that from now on, “No senator shall be able to serve on all four independent committees.”
The four independent committees are agenda, rules and constitution, finance and survey.
Senator Jessea Vaughan challenged the wording of the amendment, saying it will only change limitations rather than remove them. Vaughan said this amendment would only increase the number of independent committees that senators can join from two to three.
“Either way, we’re still removing the previous false limitations and actually making it to what the individuals who were originally writing the section of our governing documents intended,” said Senator Brenna Large, the author of the amendment.
This amendment will be voted on at the next meeting, Feb. 2.
The last amendment proposes to redefine the responsibilities of the Credentials Board. If passed, the board will examine new senator applications, academic probation and GPA, disciplinary probation and previous disciplinary punishments within SGA.
The amendment also proposes to remove certain requirements for potential senate applicants. If passed, the amendment will implement a system where applicants no longer have to receive unanimous consent for approval. Instead, applications will only require a majority approval by the Credentials Board.
On top of this, the requirement for applicants to receive a set amount of valid signatures on a petition for nomination is proposed to be removed.
This amendment will be voted on at the next meeting, Feb. 2.
At the end of the SGA meeting, Senator Grant Wilson announced he will be resigning from the senate.
Contact Richard Kann with any questions at richard.kann@bsu.edu or on Twitter @RichardKann.
The Daily News welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.