At this week’s USG senate meeting, President Anna Lubitz presented her choices for members of the upcoming SUNY Assembly. The nominations of Steve Adelson for Executive Council, CJ Kottuppally for Judicial Board, and Miranda Guerriero for Senate were all approved.
The Student SUNY Assembly, as studentassembly.org outlines, is a “forum for consultation and the exchange of information…on matters of a University-wide nature which affect student concerns,” includes “a procedure for electing the student member of the University Board of Trustees,” and is “a communications network for campus student government leaders.”
The senate approved an increase of $5.25 to the Student Activity Fee, which would make the total $99.50 per semester.
Senator Brian McIlvian explained to the Senate the reasoning for that amount: “$100.00 is the max according to the state so we don’t want to put ourselves at the absolute max.”
In debate, support for the increase included Senator Kathryn Michaud, who said “There’s more and more clubs coming to USG for funding and five dollars per person is a lot better than having their different club members having to pay $100 out of pocket to do something that they like to do…I would pay the five dollar increase if it benefited everyone. I think a lot of other students would see it the same way.”
USG Administrative Director Christopher Muller added to the discussion, “We have the most funded clubs out of any SUNY…With the $5.25 increase I think students will get a lot more services and we can fund a lot more clubs.”
As part of the Student Activity Fee Referendum, Section 4 Enactment and Vote states “The undergraduate students shall vote on the propose increase in the Spring 2013 elections. The Student Activity Fee will increase in the Fall 2013 semester should the Referendum pass the general elections with a simple majority.”
The Senate was presented with reforms to its Constitution. Much debate regarded the schools and colleges of the university that are represented in USG and the possibility of creating an amendment that would incorporate all academic colleges on future ballots.
Executive Vice President Aimee Pomeroy clarified for the Senate that “In order for an amendment to appear on the ballot, it has to coincide with the current election that’s going on.”
