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SA senator Carl Punkett discusses his complaint resolution against CAB.
SA approves resolution detailing complaints against CAB
In their last meeting of the year, the Student Association Senate approved a complaint against Campus Activities Board Sunday night.
Sen. Carl Puckett said the purpose of the resolution was to highlight the organization’s recent troubles.
“We wanted to bring to light unconstitutional changes that have occurred in CAB,” Puckett said.
The resolution, co-authored with Sen. Paul Bradley, detailed numerous complaints against several constitutional amendment. One amendment restricted the candidacy of CAB Executive Board to students who have been apart of CAB for at least one full semester.
“This change is a blatant act of discrimination based on major which is in direct violation with the Student Association and University,” the resolution stated.
Other criticized amendments include eliminating the wages of the coordinator positions in CAB, making them volunteer positions.
“The amendments proposed, without the question of them being presented by an Executive Board Hopeful, are astonishing and questionable at best,” the resolution reads. “They show a clear trail of non-researched, effortless attempts to consolidate the power of the Campus Activities Board into a large-budgeted dictatorship, in which the President resides over the organization unopposed.”
CAB President Colleen Murphy said she was initially unaware of the complaint until she was informed via word of mouth. She criticized the senators for not knowing much about programming, and that the constitutional changes would move CAB away from a governing body.
“As a governing body, [CAB] did not work,” Murphy said.
Murphy said CAB had modeled the constitutional changes on its counterpart at other large universities, and that these changes have been in the works since October.
The resolution initially called for an ad hoc committee consisting of SA and CAB members to rewrite the CAB Constitution. However, newly-inducted Speaker Matt Venaas said this is impossible.
“The SA does not have the authority to amend any group’s constitution,” Venaas said.
Outgoing SA president Jarvis Purnell agreed with Venaas’s statement, saying that any attempt to do so would amount to an abuse of power.
The resolution was amended to have the committee make recommendations to CAB’s constitution, and that CAB can consider them. Sen. Jason Looney said that, should CAB not comply with the recommendations, the senate has the option of cutting their funding.
OTHER BUSINESS
The SA Senate approved an amendment to the bylaws, integrating such student services as Campus Child Care, Health Enhancement, and Recreation Services into the SA bylaws.
The amendment gives the SA the responsibility to review and fund these organizations and services.
The senate also added a study aboard committee to its list of student committeees. According to SA trustee Shaun Crisler, the committee will work to provide more scholarship opportunities to students interested in studying abroad.
The SA Senate also approved of funding to upgrade to replace, repair, and maintain all of the computer equipment and software the SA uses.
CLOSING REMARKS
As it was the last meeting, outgoing Speaker Robert Batey gave farewell remarks to the assembled body. Batey reflected on his four years in the SA - two of which he served as speaker of the senate - and thanked a number of individuals.
It was also Purnell’s last meeting as SA president. Purnell congratulated the Senate for its professionalism by continuing to “be a voice for all students.”
Purnell noted several accomplishments of the SA this year, including expanding the number of Huskie Tracks GPS Monitors, the Blackboard Community for student organizations, and for being active leaders in the aftermath of the Feb. 14 tragedy.
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The quotes from the resolution are so poorly written that they lead me to believe these senators are idiots. Perhaps a little more explanation would have been helpful.