By Michael Freeman, Managing Editor
Listen to the podcast of Wednesday’s meeting at: http://www.acuoptimist.com/podcasts/
Travis Meadors did more than simply attend the Students’ Association Congress meeting in Hart Auditorium on Wednesday. He walked up to the front of the room to debate a by-laws amendment on how much SA officers should get paid next year.
“It seems to me like y’all are missing the point of this whole thing,” said Meadors, freshman art major from Austin, who is not part of the SA Congress. “Y’all aren’t about how much you get paid; y’all are about what you do for the students. It just seems ridiculous that y’all are all arguing about what they used to be paid and what they’re paid now. It just seems to me that y’all would do everything you could to funnel more money to the students.”
The amendment, which was presented by Sophomore Sen. Tony Godfrey and Hardin Administration Building Rep. Jordan Hancock proposed the pay rate for the executive and administrative officers of the SA Congress be readjusted as university tuition costs continue to rise. Executive officers, who include the SA president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, make a yearly amount of $8,046. The amendment proposed to reduce the amount to $6,973.20. The amendment also recommended the administrative officers, who include the parliamentarian, chief financial officer and chief communication officer, have their yearly pay amounts dropped from $4,023 to $3,486.60. The proposal would not come into effect until next year.
Some Congress members were impressed by Meadors’ debating of the topic.
“I’ve never heard of a student coming to a meeting to debate,” said Junior Sen. Daniel Burgner. “He showed up here to debate this, and it’s what he wants, and he elected us. It’s his money. Let’s give him what he wants.”
SA President Daniel Paul Watkins also debated in favor of lower pay rates.
“This isn’t about trying to screw anybody next year out of money. The weekly difference in the pay is $35.80,” Watkins said. “If this passes today, I can commit $35.80 per week for the rest of the semester for a non-profit organization that you choose that I’ll donate that money to. This position is for public service, not about making big money.”
For the time being, Watkins will not have to donate his weekly $35.80. The SA Congress voted 28-4-2 to table making a decision on the amendment until next week’s meeting. Several Congress members expressed concern about rushing to vote on the amendment when not all Congress members were present for Wednesday’s meeting.
“We need to take time to table this, so we can figure out exactly which way to go and have enough people to pass it and pass it properly,” said Senior Sen. Byron Martin. “Let’s do the smart thing: take time. We have time; let’s use it wisely.”
Before the debate on the amendment, COBA Rep. Kyle Smith and Off-campus Rep. Kyle Moore presented a bill requiring all pertinent materials and paperwork in discussed with regularly scheduled meetings to be submitted to the parliamentarian at least two days before the meetings. Moore argued Congress would be better informed when making legislative decisions if Congress members had the information before the meetings instead of receiving it at the meetings. Most Congress members argued the current system works well, especially for topics that arise a day or two before the meeting. The bill failed 3-27-4.
