Senator’s spirits are still up

Nadiyah Knight, 19, a sophomore agricultural business student from Tallahassee, and former chairperson of the Student Relations Committee is dissapointed but not defeated after she was removed from her position as the chair of the SRC.

Knight lost her position in a 20-8 vote, with 2 abstain, Knight was

She will continue to serve as a sophomore senator in the 37th Student Senate and her term will not expire until April 2008.

During Monday’s senate meeting, Knight was accused of failure to communicate and follow through with obligations.

In the original article, Sen. Phylicia Ross, 20, a junior computer information student from Orlando said Senate President Mellori Lumpkin, 20, a junior business student from Bainbridge, Ga. had evidence that Knight had not been fulfilling her duties as SRC chair and needed to be removed.

Knight denies that she was removed due to email correspondence stemming from the summer months and frequent tardiness and said the senate president did not make the issue her focus in her oral argument.

She said although she does accept responsibility for issues surrounding the Coleman library showcase, her year and a half of service as a senator is what is most important.

“Programming does not define my leadership and the service I have given to this legislative body and this university as a chairwoman,” Knight said.

In spite of the evidence Lumpkin provided, many are still in support of Knight.

Mario Henderson, 20, a junior physical science student from Daytona Beach said he did not agree with the senate’s decision to remove Knight from her position.

“I’ve lost all confidence in the senate,” Henderson said. The sole purpose is pposed to be to serve.”

Sen. Brittany Akins, 18, a freshman actuarial science student from Trinidad also supports Knight.

“I feel that Nadiyah is truly an amazing leader and deserves a second chance for her chair position but I doubt if we will see that happen,” Akins said.

Knight expressed her gratitude to those who advocate on her behalf.

“I truly want to thank all my supporters being that Wednesday’s headline sent out a terrible message to the university community but more importantly to the sophomore class that elected me.”

In addition to the removal, the senate also passed several bills and allotted money to several campus organizations. The appropriation bill was passed, and several of the following organizations received funding: the Office of Black Diasporan Culture received $9,864, the Future Public Health Association received $6,088 and the Dynamic Supremes received $5,967.

The senate also held an emergency meeting Wednesday to review the divisions of the electoral process for all upcoming elections, the declaration of candidacy and made revisions to voting qualifications.