9_8_SGA

A house divided

New rules split old Senate into bi-cameral body

By Jazmin Farraj
Contributing Writer

The tenure of former Student Government Association president Davante Lewis has come to an end, yet before he left there were some radical new changes to the SGA Constitution that were proposed and passed by last year’s Senate.

Prior to last school year, the senate was a singular body. Changes were proposed and passed by Lewis and then Speaker of the Senate Alex Reinhaur that radically altered the Constitution of the SGA. Now there are in effect two bodies where once one Senate stood.

“The Senate had become too big, too dysfunctional,” said Lewis.

This new make up now consists of a House of Organizations, and a Senate made up of elected senators from each college and chartered organization.

The Senate is slated to be made up of senators that have been elected by their respective colleged or organizations. There are currently nine charted organizations on campus: band, peerleaders, chamber singers, cheerleaders, kickers, debate council, rodeo club, SUB and SGA.

The rest of the Senate will be made up a member from each college. Right now, however, there is a temporary Senate, with each member appointed by the dean of each college. These interim Senators will serve until an election is scheduled, which is set for the spring of 2015.

Yet while these new changes have already taken effect somewhat, the revised constitution hasn’t been finalized.

“Transitioning out of office, some of the information was broken up,” said Lewis.

He also added that he had a portion of the constitution under his care, as did last year’s speaker Reinhaur. The new administration, headed by President Caleb Whaley and Vice President Morgan Miller, also has portions of the constitution, Lewis said.

When asked to comment on the current status of the Constitution as well as the state of the transition from a single Senate to a bi-cameral system, Speaker of the House Zack Webb simply stated “No comment.”

Contraband writer and House of Organizations Representative Corey Greineisen contributed to this report.