Academics and inexperience reasons for drop in SGA Senators, leaders say
Student Government Association president Charles Mahone discusses the basics of being a member of the senate with the senate candidates on Feb. 16, 2015 in Anspach Hall.
In recess for the remainder of this year's legislative session, Student Government Association senators cited inexperience and academic responsibilities as cause for the abrupt end to their work.
As of now, the Senate is one member short of its quorum to be able to propose and pass legislation.
Senate Leader Chelsea Green said many students who left SGA have done so due to academic reasons.
“(SGA) had a lot of young senators join this semester. I think a lot of the time they were unaware of all of the responsibilities that came along with being a senator,” Green said. “Because of that, they had to be a student first and leave being a senator.”
For a student to be a member of SGA they must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
It is not rare for SGA to lose senators throughout the semester because of issues with school and work, Green said. Sometimes, a senator underestimates the responsibilities of the job.
“The load can become too hard," she said.
Senator duties include holding office hours in the basement of the Bovee University Center, attending weekly SGA meetings and creating a project to benefit campus in some way.
After gaining experience, Green believes senators who run for office in the spring are more successful than students who run during the winter.
“Those running in the spring semester have a better grasp on what it means to be a senator,” Green said. “Filling out the packets, (going) through interviews and getting people to vote for them. It shows a higher level of commitment than those running in the winter elections.”
SGA President Chuck Mahone said diversity in the Senate also must be considered.
“It’s a person-by-person basis,” Mahone said. “We get senators from all over the spectrum. Last year we had three or four non-traditional students — 40 or 50 year old veterans — who were senators and they wanted to be involved.”
Vice President Mariah Urueta said because of this, all legislation that will be going through the House in the remaining meetings will have already been approved by the Senate at an earlier date.
“If anyone had anything they wanted to introduce, Senate can’t vote on it, but the house can,” Urueta said. “(The student) would have to hold their bill until next semester or unless the next presidential administration wants to continue meetings for the rest of the year.”
The next regularly scheduled SGA meeting will take place Monday, March 30. Voting for Senators, President, and Treasurer of SGA will also open that same day.
Students may vote online on or at voting stations around campus from March 30 until Friday, April 3.
