The Student Activity Enhancement Fee has passed. Students will pay a $60 fee increase in the fall and 18 current student fees under the Student Assessed Fee will consolidate into one.
SGA president Calvin Stafford is excited about the change because he had doubts whether or not the referendum would pass.
“We have had four referendums fail,” said Stafford. “The athletics by itself, the athletics with VAPA, the indoor pool and the outdoor pool had all failed. So of course I can’t explain how excited I am. It speaks a lot about how our student body is able to look into the future and say ‘hey, we need to make the sacrifice.’ I know $60 is a big deal for some people.”
Stafford believes that this is “building a monument for the university.”
SGA advisor Laura Knotts is also glad that student groups will have a chance to get the financial help that they need.
“It’s a relief, because I’ve been here for five years and I’ve had to council all of these groups on how to fundraise so many times,” said Knotts. “And I know so many people who wanted to go to conferences and couldn’t afford it. It was really sad because it could have brought a lot of recognition. I’m just really excited for all of these groups who are going to get to do a lot more now.”
Students also voted on and passed changes to the SGA constitution. The first change to the constitution stated that “there will be two voting seats allotted for the two freshmen elected from each college in the fall election.”
The second change stated that “two freshmen shall be elected from each college in a fall election and be voted in by all members of their respective colleges (this including both freshmen and upperclassmen). Once a freshman senator is elected, he or she will be awarded the same rights of a voting senator.”
The Arts and Sciences election will be re-run with the runoffs due to a clerical error with one candidate’s name being left off the ballot. These elections will take place next Wednesday and results will be announced Thursday evening.
Here are the results for the SGA senate and executive elections:
President – Jana Robinson
Vice President – Jameshia Below
Treasurer – runoff between Adrian LeJeune and Christina Gray
Secretary – runoff between Chelsea Wyatt and Raven Gros
Business Administration Senators:
Breana Boone – voting
Cody Parker – voting
Adrian Smith – voting
Kevin Carroll – associate senator
Because Gray is in a runoff, Carroll’s status could change to voting if she wins. If not, Carroll will be an associate senator and Gray will be a voting senator.
Education and Human Development Senators:
Jameson Alston – voting
Tyler Greenwood – voting
Rick Sanders – voting
Lindsey Dartlon – either voting or associate depending on the results of a run-off
Jonathan “Max” Campbell – associate
Because Chelsea Wyatt is in a runoff, Lindsey Dartlon’s status is uncertain. If Wyatt wins her election, Dartlon will be a voting senator. Another candidate from Education and Human Developmen will be pulled up to associate. If Wyatt does not win, she will be a voting senator and Dartlon will be an associate senator.
Health Sciences Senators:
Nicholas Alford – voting
LeZerrica Ford – voting
Anna Grace Greer – voting
Devonte Grinstead – voting
Caitlyn Roberts – voting
Julian Cain – associate
Holly Coons – associate
Pharmacy Senators:
Dylan LeBlanc – voting
Because Gros and LeJeune are both in runoffs, the other two voting senators and the two associate senators are undetermined as of now. All Pharmacy candidates should check after runoff announcements to see who will be a voting senator and who will be an associate senator.
Blane • Apr 13, 2013 at 9:08 pm
Well, what do you know. I guess if you threaten students and faculty with worse futures and firings, anything will pass.
ULM should remember that for future reference when they need a little more money for athletics.