Leave of Absence bylaw to be reconsidered
Griffin proposes 30-day leave per semester instead of per year
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 1/28/09 Section: News
After being abruptly pulled from a Student Senate vote last week by its author, Student Senate member Mark Olendzki, the Leave of Absence bylaw change is being reconsidered at today's meeting.
Student Senate members Isaac Sandidge and Chris Kromphardt are the authors of the reworked proposal.
They wrote into the bylaw for the speaker to have the power to put a request for a leave of absence on the agenda for the Student Senate to vote on.
"This bylaw change makes the speaker able to negotiate with a Student Senate member if he or she requests an absence longer than four weeks - like eight," said Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin. "The speaker would then probably cut it down to four weeks and reevaluate the situation later. It would then go to the Student Senate."
Last week, Sandidge and Kromphardt proposed two amendments that passed Student Senate's approval.
Sandidge proposed the first amendment that called for a 30-day leave of absence per semester instead of per year. Kromphardt asked to amend the same section further by allowing the Student Senate speaker to have discretion over absences.
Despite the revisions, Griffin said using academics as a reason for an absence is still being struck. The other criteria remains for health or personal reasons.
The senate meeting will also talk about the chair appointments for the Diversity Affairs and External Relations committees. The chairs for the other committees were filled last week.
"No one applied for the positions, but I let the senators interested in the committees join and talk amongst themselves," Griffin said. "I thought they could still work well without a chair right away. There is some interest in the chairs and we should know soon."
Griffin said at least one chair or both will be announced today. If only one is announced, the other would be announced on Feb. 4.
Another resolution to be discussed is an injunction against interference in the Student Supreme Court. Kromphardt authored the document.
During last week's meeting, some members, including Kromphardt, voiced concern over Student Body President Levi Bulgar overstepping his ground with facilitating orientation for the court.
"Once the judicial branch gets up and running, neither the legislative nor executive will be interfering with the essence of what's going on," Griffin said. "It is dealing with the separation of powers because it is supposed to be a co-equal branch in government."
The Committee of Constitutional Oversight is meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 4, Griffin said.
He is planning to announce the location at today's meeting.
Student Senate meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Arcola/Tuscola Room, located on the third floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
Student Senate members Isaac Sandidge and Chris Kromphardt are the authors of the reworked proposal.
They wrote into the bylaw for the speaker to have the power to put a request for a leave of absence on the agenda for the Student Senate to vote on.
"This bylaw change makes the speaker able to negotiate with a Student Senate member if he or she requests an absence longer than four weeks - like eight," said Student Senate Speaker Drew Griffin. "The speaker would then probably cut it down to four weeks and reevaluate the situation later. It would then go to the Student Senate."
Last week, Sandidge and Kromphardt proposed two amendments that passed Student Senate's approval.
Sandidge proposed the first amendment that called for a 30-day leave of absence per semester instead of per year. Kromphardt asked to amend the same section further by allowing the Student Senate speaker to have discretion over absences.
Despite the revisions, Griffin said using academics as a reason for an absence is still being struck. The other criteria remains for health or personal reasons.
The senate meeting will also talk about the chair appointments for the Diversity Affairs and External Relations committees. The chairs for the other committees were filled last week.
"No one applied for the positions, but I let the senators interested in the committees join and talk amongst themselves," Griffin said. "I thought they could still work well without a chair right away. There is some interest in the chairs and we should know soon."
Griffin said at least one chair or both will be announced today. If only one is announced, the other would be announced on Feb. 4.
Another resolution to be discussed is an injunction against interference in the Student Supreme Court. Kromphardt authored the document.
During last week's meeting, some members, including Kromphardt, voiced concern over Student Body President Levi Bulgar overstepping his ground with facilitating orientation for the court.
"Once the judicial branch gets up and running, neither the legislative nor executive will be interfering with the essence of what's going on," Griffin said. "It is dealing with the separation of powers because it is supposed to be a co-equal branch in government."
The Committee of Constitutional Oversight is meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 4, Griffin said.
He is planning to announce the location at today's meeting.
Student Senate meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Arcola/Tuscola Room, located on the third floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
john Smith
posted 1/28/09 @ 11:57 PM CST
Can anyone from SGA tell me what they have actually done for the Students of EIU????
None of this legislation effects the students.....When will SGA actually consider and work on a project that has an impact outside of the Union?
Ryan Kerch
posted 1/29/09 @ 10:52 AM CST
The DEN deliberately chooses not to report on the projects that Student Government undertakes. I can't blame them, the DEN has become a tabloid, and these projects (like Panther Service Day, expanding library hours, student-teacher interaction programs, investigating the effectiveness of the EWP, providing workshops for RSOs, etc) aren't sexy. (Continued…)
Mark Bates
posted 1/29/09 @ 10:19 PM CST
As someone who was on SGA a few years ago......I can tell you that I am disappointed to see is all the By-law changes.....Mr. Kerch it seems like you are shooting the messenger. (Continued…)
Ryan Kerch
posted 1/29/09 @ 11:14 PM CST
Mr. Bates,
I'm never a fan of starting debates on here, but I feel compelled to comment on your response.
First of all, of course we know the EWP and Library Hours have been addressed in the past, but they're still at the top of the list of the issues that students want us to tackle. (Continued…)
Miley
posted 1/30/09 @ 2:54 PM CST
I wish someone would point out to Student Government that all they are really is an advisory board. They don't actually run the University the way they seem to think they do. (Continued…)
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