While the SGA inauguration virtual ceremony took place Monday live on YouTube, the weekly Student Senate meeting took place via Zoom.
The meeting was run by the Student Senate Pro-Tempore, Marcus Thomas, who served as the acting president in the absence of Senate President Shanel Brown. Brown attended the virtual inauguration ceremony.
During the meeting, a confirmation was held for the election of senators to the Student Senate along with an election for the deputy chief of staff. Both of these elections were run by chairwoman Maya Robinson.
Robinson led the confirmation of senators, in which candidates Ja’Kyra Brown, Traivon Sykes and Braxton McMillon were given the opportunity to present their purpose of running for Student Senate.
All candidates were given a two-minute opening along with a 10-minute segment in which they were asked questions by Robinson and, if time permitted, answered questions raised by those senators on the floor.
“I want to be in this position to put myself out there more in a sense of being a part of change or being a part of a step of changing what it means to be Rattler,” Brown said. “I am extremely eager to be a part of this position.”
McMillon and Sykes were confirmed, but Brown was less fortunate. The voting for Brown was as follows: 11 for, 6 opposed and 6 abstained. Since Brown didn’t receive the percentage needed to be voted in during this meeting, she will be going before the Senate next week to try again to be a senior senator.
Maurice Gilbert mentioned that doing the candidate process on Zoom was very “nerve-wracking” and different from if the session were to be in person as he vouched for Brown.
“I would like to implement an initiative where there is favorable treatment for virtual online teaching,” Sykes said.
Senator Ammon McKinney then introduced the A&S bill.
“I proposed to cut any organization that received less than $3,000,” McKinney said. “We feel that with the budget being in such tight constraint, it’s best for the budget to not add any other organizations.”
He suggested that these organizations request smaller amounts of money through the SGA process.
“We took all organizations receiving $3,000 or less and they were removed from the A&S budget and will be moved to special allocations,” McKinney said.
This bill was accepted.