Qualifications for president to remain the same

With SGA elections just around the corner, SGA voted not to change the requirements in place to running for SGA president. After much debate, an “unfriendly amendment” to the resolution that would have altered the existing qualifications to run for SGA president was passed overwhelmingly.
The resolution originally called for changing the amount of SGA experience necessary to run for president in order to make it easier for more people to run. Students wanting to run would only need to have been an SGA senator for a one full year or a committee chair or executive officer for a single semester. Because elections are held in the middle of spring semester, though, a senator running for president would essentially end up serving on the senate for two full years regardless.
Even with the support of President Ryan Greene and Vice President Justin Haight, the senate viewed this resolution with cautionary negativity. The common fear among the senators was that an unqualified, but popular student could win an election and cause some serious damages.
“How could we possibly pass this?” pleaded Public Relations Committee Chairman Lauren McDonald. “I don’t want a popular president, I want a good president.”
Senator Joel Graham, the Parking Committee chairman was the one to propose the “unfriendly amendment” in order to prevent what he viewed as a mistake being made.
“A $500,000 (Student Activities Board Committee) budget is a lot of money to give to someone who isn’t sure what is going on,” Graham said, speaking to the senate.
President Greene attempted to argue for the change, pointing out that since the committee chairmen are appointed by the president, this means the president is appointing who may run against him or her.
“The SGA president may have too much power because of (these qualifications),” said Greene. “I was a committee chair before becoming president, and I don’t feel that the job I had was related at all to what I do know as president.
The president’s voice fell on deaf ears though as there was only one vote against the amendment that prevented the qualifications for presidency being changed.
The senate also swore in a new senator, junior Donald Gary, who is taking over for former Senator Daniel Simpson, who resigned due to a conflicting schedule.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 15 2008. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry