The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

SGA approves measure to extend representation to undeclared students

By Lorenzo Holt, News Correspondent

The Student Government Association’s (SGA) full-body senate meeting on Nov. 5 was brief, just 28 minutes.

In the past, such sessions have continued from the evening to the early morning. Last October, one full-body senate meeting lasted approximately six hours.

But on Monday, only one piece of legislation was fully discussed, and with 34 senators present, six absent and five excused, the session was adjourned at 7:28 p.m. Three pieces of legislation had been listed on the Senate agenda for the meeting, but only one was discussed.

“I think the meeting went pretty well overall, it was brief but we covered everything we needed to,” Executive Vice President Nick Naraghi said. “The biggest issues are going to be brought up in the next [full-body meeting] Dec. 3, so it will take longer. At a maximum the full-body senate meeting can last up to four hours.”

Debate about a resolution that would establish the senate as the approval authority for SGA’s Student Activity Fee-supported budget was postponed until the Dec. 3 meeting. Student Body President Pete Petrin said details were not finalized for the proposal and the executive board wished to wait to discuss the topic.

A resolution to clarify the role of SGA’s parliamentarian was also set to be discussed, but Petrin announced that it had been withdrawn and the issue was not pertinent.

Another resolution, an amendment to extend representation within SGA to undeclared students, was voted on. Chief of Staff Noah Carville, in presenting the proposal, explained how undeclared students are not represented as a group because they are placed under the Office of the Provost instead of a college. This issue arose after the restructuring of the College of Arts and Sciences, and it affects a number of other students.

“To clarify, there are several hundred students programs administered by the Office of the Provost,” said Professor Gerald Herman, an SGA adviser. “This change has resulted in hundreds of students in a variety of programs to be unrepresented, not just those in undeclared.”

Currently, a candidate for senator must acquire a petition of 30 signatures of students from his or her college. The proposed change to the current bylaw would be a modification of the wording to allow candidates to apply with signatures from 30 students in the same college or “same undergraduate academic program within the Office of the Provost.”

With little debate, the motion passed unanimously.

 

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