GPA almost stalls new constitution
Emily Steele/Student Government Editor
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: News
Of the 60 students who came out to speak at Wednesday's Student Government meeting, only one spoke during the audience participation portion and half were gone by the end of the two-hour meeting.
The majority of the meeting was devoted to the newly revised Student Government Constitution. After much discussion, the constitution was passed unanimously.
One of the students in attendence, Ashley Wyss, a senior health education major and education director for Sigma Sigma Sigma, came to fulfill a Panhellenic Council education week requirement. Other students attended for extra credit or group obligations.
The proceedings for the revisions to the constitution were opened by Mark Olendzki, one of the authors and student vice president for student affairs.
"It's now entirely in the hands of the (Student) Senate where it goes from here," said Olendzki, who asked the Student Senate members to think of the 550 students they represent when discussing and voting.
The first item discussed was the removal of on campus, off campus and at large senator slots from the constitution. This item was not voted on.
An amendment to the document was proposed, regarding the new GPA requirement that increased it from 2.25 to 2.3. The first motion to keep the current 2.25 GPA failed with a 9-9-2 vote, after senate members were split over the issue.
Aaron Wiessing, a first-term senate member, was one of the many that supported the increase to set a higher standard for student leaders, citing Student Government GPA requirements from other state schools.
"We are student senators, which means we are a student first and a senator second," Wiessing said.
Student Body President Michelle Murphy was unable to vote on the amendment, but was strongly opposed to the increase, saying she had personally experienced the limitations of a higher GPA when several Student Senate members approached her over the summer and one resigned.
"It's about character and what they believe is important, not their GPA," Murphy said.
Another amendment was proposed to further increase the GPA to 2.5, which failed 5-14-0. The GPA requirement stands at 2.3 for Student Senate members.
After more than an hour of discussion regarding the constitution, the entire document was approved unanimously. The referendum needs to be approved by the student body during Student Government elections Dec. 7 and 8. This is the first constitutional revision in six years.
Applications for the 22 open Student Senate seats and the vice president for business affairs will be available Nov. 11 in the Student Activities Center in the Union.
In other news:
A transfer of funds was approved to allow three student senators to attend the Conference on Student Government Associations held in Texas.
A bylaw change of the diversity definition passed with a majority vote. Emergency legislation was also passed approving funds for advertising and ballots for the election committee.
A senior seminar forum will be held next Thursday at 6p.m. in the Lumpkin Auditorium.
Emily Steele can be reached at 581-7942 or easteele2@eiu.edu.
The majority of the meeting was devoted to the newly revised Student Government Constitution. After much discussion, the constitution was passed unanimously.
One of the students in attendence, Ashley Wyss, a senior health education major and education director for Sigma Sigma Sigma, came to fulfill a Panhellenic Council education week requirement. Other students attended for extra credit or group obligations.
The proceedings for the revisions to the constitution were opened by Mark Olendzki, one of the authors and student vice president for student affairs.
"It's now entirely in the hands of the (Student) Senate where it goes from here," said Olendzki, who asked the Student Senate members to think of the 550 students they represent when discussing and voting.
The first item discussed was the removal of on campus, off campus and at large senator slots from the constitution. This item was not voted on.
An amendment to the document was proposed, regarding the new GPA requirement that increased it from 2.25 to 2.3. The first motion to keep the current 2.25 GPA failed with a 9-9-2 vote, after senate members were split over the issue.
Aaron Wiessing, a first-term senate member, was one of the many that supported the increase to set a higher standard for student leaders, citing Student Government GPA requirements from other state schools.
"We are student senators, which means we are a student first and a senator second," Wiessing said.
Student Body President Michelle Murphy was unable to vote on the amendment, but was strongly opposed to the increase, saying she had personally experienced the limitations of a higher GPA when several Student Senate members approached her over the summer and one resigned.
"It's about character and what they believe is important, not their GPA," Murphy said.
Another amendment was proposed to further increase the GPA to 2.5, which failed 5-14-0. The GPA requirement stands at 2.3 for Student Senate members.
After more than an hour of discussion regarding the constitution, the entire document was approved unanimously. The referendum needs to be approved by the student body during Student Government elections Dec. 7 and 8. This is the first constitutional revision in six years.
Applications for the 22 open Student Senate seats and the vice president for business affairs will be available Nov. 11 in the Student Activities Center in the Union.
In other news:
A transfer of funds was approved to allow three student senators to attend the Conference on Student Government Associations held in Texas.
A bylaw change of the diversity definition passed with a majority vote. Emergency legislation was also passed approving funds for advertising and ballots for the election committee.
A senior seminar forum will be held next Thursday at 6p.m. in the Lumpkin Auditorium.
Emily Steele can be reached at 581-7942 or easteele2@eiu.edu.
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