The Mississippi State University Student Association Senate met again this week to decide on the upcoming elections packet and continue addressing both new and old business.
The MSU Election Committee presented this year’s election packets for the Senate’s approval, so prospective candidates can begin preparing. The packets outline the procedures and dates the elections will follow, and this year, the Speech and Debate Club will host an SA Executive Debate a week prior to elections.
Last semester, Bill 26, which allowed proxy voting for absentee Senators on previously discussed issues was passed by the Senate, but vetoed by President Tyler McMurray.
McMurray argued proxy voting was against the best interest of the Senate, due to an absentee senator being able to miss important discussions yet still voting. However, Sen. Mary Adele Rackley, one of the authors of the bill, rebutted with the fact absentee Senators could only vote on old business, and colleges like Cornell University have implemented such systems with great success.
A presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority Senate vote to overrule, and with 49 votes in favor of the bill, the presidential veto was overturned.
Act 12 was passed to appropriate funds for several organizations, which included the University Christian Student Center and the East MS Chapter National Weather Association and American Meteorology Society.
Bill 34 calls for an archive to be kept for all legislation passed and signed by the SA. A history of legislation public record database will be kept for a minimum of two years, and a five-year history database will be kept exclusively for SA members. The bill passed unanimously.
Additionally, two resolutions were passed. Resolution 47 expresses student support for providing student workers at the Wise Center access to the Wise Center’s parking. Resolution 48 calls for a transfer student-specific residence hall, seeing as the number of transfer students is rapidly increasing.
Finally, Madelyn Winstead and Allan Burtt were also sworn in as the newest members of the Senate this week. Burtt is filling the newly created ACCESS seat, made possible by Bill 22.
Burtt was drawn to MSU specifically because of the ACCESS program, which he holds in high regard. He said the program provides students the tools they need for everyday life, no matter whether it is independent living, social skills or classes tailored for a specific student’s focus.
Burtt said it was important to him to be apart of the Senate because he wanted to ensure every student’s voice was heard.
“I wanted to be a part of Senate, the ACCESS Senate Seat because I wanted to be an advocate for people with disabilities, and I wanted to (make sure) everybody has a voice,” Burtt said. “We have the same goals and dreams as all students, and I want to have other people view people with disabilities no different(ly).”
Burtt must hold office hours every week, and attend Senate business meetings just like every senator, and he is involved with the Research and Development Committee meetings. In the future, Allan hopes to start working toward better including ACCESS members in groups across campus.
Burtt said he uses the Philadelphia 76er’s motto of  “Trust the Process” to guide him in his actions as a senator.