The Nov. 14 Student Association Senate meeting marked the last business meeting of the semester. Understandably, the meeting was filled with legislation. A total of 19 different acts, bills and resolutions were discussed during the meeting, including previously failed legislation covered earlier this year.
Because the legislation was so numerous and varied, it will be listed here by category, rather than chronologically for easier comprehension: one act, six resolutions and nine bills.
Act 10 was passed, to appropriate funds for Bulldogs for Liberty and the Black Student Association.
Resolution 36 showed student support for the idea of online evaluations for teachers and assistants, rather than the current model of using physical forms. The goal is to remove in-class time constraints and improve anonymity.
Resolution 37 expressed student support for round-up donations at POD vendors around campus to support the Green Fund during Green Week at Mississippi State University. The resolution also includes the possibility of other round-up donations around campus.
Resolution 38 shows student support for the preservation of Section 117(d) of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Sec. 117(d) which is currently being discussed in the U.S. Congress. The section prevents graduate students’ tuition deductions and stipends from being taxable income, but currently, the section is under discussion. This resolution is being sent to all of Mississippi’s U.S. Congressional members, in hopes the section survives.
Resolution 39 asks for recycling bins to be placed in every residence hall. As of right now, there is only a recycling bin in Moseley Hall.
Resolution 40 calls for Boy’s/Girl’s State, a high school student government program in Mississippi, scholarships to apply to transfer students, too.
Resolution 42 called for the construction of a crosswalk on the intersection of Blackjack Road and Hardy Road, providing a safer and more efficient connection between the Helix apartment complex and campus.
Resolution 43 calls for CPR training for Residence Advisors and Residence Directors, but after discussion over how much the program would cost and how it would implemented, the resolution was tabled until the next session.
Resolution 44 shows student support for crosswalk etiquette information to be distributed in some manner during orientation.
Bill 24 now requires the appropriations chair to submit a budget report to the Senate at the end of every calendar month.
Bill 25 requires a Senator to be notified if he or she is under threat of dismissal for absences, and they can now formally challenge the dismissal if they believe they are wrongly accused.
Bill 26 allows senators to vote by proxy on old business, meaning business previously discussed in a meeting, in which they were present to discuss. However, the senator must tell the Vice President of their absence and their vote ahead of the meeting.
Bill 27 defines abstention in the constitution as a removal of the abstaining senator from the total number of votes, which was a point of debate during the discussion of Bill 21 earlier in the year.
Bill 28 makes the role of a parliamentarian, which is a person who advises procedure in the Senate optional, considering the parliamentarian is not currently used.
SA combined Bills 29 and 32 into one bill, which will allow meetings related to legislature to count as office hours. In addition, three missed office hours equates to one missed Senate meeting. Each senator can only miss three meetings each term. These bills were both modified takes on Bill 21, which failed in October, attempting to impose punishment for unexcused absences.
Bill 31 was the most contentious piece of legislation discussed on the floor. In an effort to be more inclusive, the bill tried to prevent executives in the SA from running for Mr. and Ms. MSU, and Homecoming Court.
The counter argument was the bill only excluded people from running, rather than including anyone currently unable to run. While the SA executives do have a role in both programs, they are never directly involved in selection or judgement. Therefore, it seemed to many senators as an exclusive bill and not inclusive. The bill failed to pass, by vote of 56 to two.