By Paul A. Anthony, Editor in Chief
Congress kicked into high gear Wednesday night with a new system for passing bills into law, a highly publicized Chapel presentation, a freedom of information act and an impeachment.
After hearing from Chapel administrators, the Students’ Association got down to business with president Jeremy Smith announcing that a bill regarding recent Chapel controversy would be ready for a vote in two weeks, after members surveyed student opinion about the issue.
The bill was listed as “Bill 81-2,” signifying a change in the passage process for member-sponsored acts in Congress. Bills now go through clarifying and critical question sessions before being brought to the floor for discussion.
Rep. Reese Campbell, Ad Building, introduced the Freedom of Information Act, 81-3, which would require many student groups connected to SA to reveal budgets and finance-related documents.
“I feel that to represent the student body and to let them know what we’re doing and to close the gap between us and the student body, we need to reveal that information,” Campbell said.
Any groups receiving money through the SA budget-and therefore the student activity fee-would be required to turn over such information.
A third bill, the Free Recreation Bill, 81-4, laid down plans for free provision of the Campus Center pool tables and video games. The bill, introduced by vice president Jeremy Gordon, would allow SA to compensate Harp Vending and the Campus Center to replace the cost students currently pay.
During the 10-minute session where members may ask critical questions without response or debate, several questioned the price tag involved and whether students actually spend the $1,300 per month on pool and video games stated in the bill.
“If we’re going to make research-based decisions, we actually need to do some research and see if it will be worth it to spend $2,300,” said Sen. Erin Baldwin, junior class. The $2,300 would cover the rest of this semester.
Gordon admitted he had not yet talked to any students about the bill but said he had seen the Campus Center income spreadsheet to ascertain how much the recreation center made from the activities.
Congress then called a closed-door meeting to discuss impeaching vice president Bryce Doty, sophomore class, for exceeding his allowed number of absences. In an ironic twist, not enough members were present to create even the two-thirds majority necessary for removal from the body.
The following grants were made through the Appropriations Committee:
* $62.16 to Heather Wright, senior biology major from Boulder, Colo., and Rep. Melissa Weaver, Foster Science, from the Student Request Fund.
* $81.46 to the Sonrise Devo from the Student Service Request Fund.
* $500 to the Constituent Relations Committee from the Advocacy Requst Fund.
* $3,000 to Jocelyn Reese for projectors for her theater production, $2,000 of which came from the Student Request Fund, with the rest from Advocacy.
The Student Request Fund has $5,437.84 remaining; Advocacy has $4,500 left and $2,418.54 remains in Student Service.
