In Monday’s meeting of the 36th Student Senate, members discussed upcoming events, addressed The Famuan’s student advertisement rates and passed a bill and an amendment. The Senate addressed Senate Bill 06F-003, Activities and Services Reform of Finance Codes, in hopes of passing it in the meeting, but many senators had various questions and concerns.
According to the proposed bill, “the current provisions in Title XII…do not support the infrastructure of clearly defined and outlined policies and procedures for the allocation and accountability of Florida A&M University students’ A&S Fees.”The Senate later passed a bill and an amendment pertaining to the grade point average requirements of elected officials: Constitutional Amendment 06F-001, Elected Officer’s Constitutional Qualification Corrections and Senate Bill 06F-002, Elected Officer’s Student Body Statutes Qualifications Corrections.
According to the bill and amendment passed, candidates and elected officials must maintain a minimum GPA of a 2.8 to run for or continue to hold an office. These positions include the Student Government Association president and vice-president as well as Mr. and Miss FAMU.
Some senators were alarmed at the price of The Famuan’s advertisements for students and felt the issue needed to be addressed.
The Famuan’s editor in chief, Sidney Wright IV, 20, a junior broadcast journalism student from Tampa, said prices are actually cheaper than they have been in the earlier years. “We have spent from $5,000-$6,000 in one month to produce The Famuan,” Wright said.
Some of the senators wondered if students could get discounts, but Wright said individual students do not receive discounts. “Only student organizations that are (Activities and Services) funded receive a discount,” said Senate President Ebony Manchion, 20.
SGA receives a “buy one, get one free” discount for advertising, she said.
“We were printing with The Tallahassee Democrat but they are sort of like our competition, and it did not make any sense for us to print with the competition,” Wright said. “The price to print is actually cheaper with the printer we have now.”
The Senate also talked about the annual Coleman Library Talent Showcase, which is planned by the Student Relations Committee to raise funds for books for Coleman Library.
Divas, Images and SGA’s Modeling Troupe will be among the performers in the showcase. SGA’s Modeling Troupe participants are all members of SGA.
The Senate will host “Staff the Café” in the cafeteria to promote the showcase.
“There will be rooms in the Café set up with different themes from the library, such as a computer room,” said freshman Sen. Amari Jones, 17, an environmental science student from Houston.
Senators will also storm the dorms to promote the talent showcase.
“I am really excited,” said freshman Sen. Nadiyah Knight, 18, an agribusiness student from Tallahassee. “It is for a great cause.”Senators are also preparing to go to the Florida Classic during the weekend of Nov. 17, but they do not get a SGA discount. The only discount available to senators is $10 off for senators who will leave the Wednesday prior to the Classic to join the recruitment team. But they must be women because of specific room arrangements.