Photo Courtesy: Kandon Fears
The 53rd Student Senate kicked off their eighth spring session following spring break, and senators were thrusted right back into the action as the meeting lasted for over seven hours.
Before the break, sitting senate president Loryn May, appointed freshman senator Jonathan McClover to be the presiding chair in her absence. The role of the presiding chair is to execute the responsibilities of the senate president if they cannot be present.
Senate Pro Tempe Kobe Buggs also stepped down from his position in a memorandum and now serves as a junior senator.
“Due to me going through a lot of trials in my personal life, I feel as though you must be in the right mental capacity to be able to serve in a very high position,” Buggs explained. “I do prioritize mental health for all people and student leaders. Putting myself back in the motion while coming off a trial in my personal life would not be fair to the efficiency of the senate.”
He is succeeded by Jaylin Hankerson Strappy who served as the judicial and rules chair prior to his new role.
On Sunday, a story was produced by The Famuan on the pending impeachment status of SGA President and Vice President Elect Loryn May and Dakari “DK Williams. Senator Nichelle Scott acknowledged that the office of the FAMUAN was contacted by one of her colleagues who questioned the validity of the article’s claims.
J&R Chairman Larry LaFrance hastily cleared up any confusion, confirming The Famuan’s report.
“The impeachment is very much so valid because we are an investigating body, so an investigation will be taking place in the J&R committee,” said LaFrance.
Prior to LaFrance addressing the claim made against The Famuan he stated that he will be launching his investigation when he receives the violation forms from the J&R Vice Chair. LaFrance is expecting to have those forms by next Monday’s senate meeting.
During the meeting SGA President Londe Mondelus gave an update on the presumptive “Set After Dark” event. The event was rumored to take place on Friday after over a thousand students voted in favor of the event on an online petition posted to social media.
Mondelus informed the senate that the event had not been confirmed.
“You can pretend like it’s not happening as of today,” Mondelus said.
Mondelus told the senate that there were not enough funds allocated to her to produce all the needs necessary for the highly anticipated event. “
No security, no set, no lights, no set, no insurance, no set,” Mondelus said.
She also noted that the cost of security increased unexpectedly while further elaborating on the obstacles she faced.
Details on the status of the impending impeachment investigations will be made available as they come.