In the wake of Monday’s Student Government Association election, the senate met yesterday to wrap up this year’s campaign season. The senate also considered a spot-funding proposal for the Indian Asian Student Association and a bill to reorganize the Chartered Student Organization suite in the Busch Student Center.
Election Commissioner Thiago Takahashi began the meeting by giving the senate a final report on the election. Takahashi announced the winners and offered a summary of campaign spending. More for Students’ executive-board candidates spent $1,972.32; Stepping Beyond’s executive-board candidates spent $1,334.60; and senatorial candidates spent $1,533.08.
“I want to sincerely thank all the candidates for being so easy to work with. This election has been a big success. I’d like to ask all the winners to remember that they have been elected to serve the student body. Although the campaign is over, your job isn’t over yet,” Takahashi said.
The senate then passed a resolution thanking the members of the SLU community who contributed to the success of the election.
The resolution mentioned a number of ITS officials, SGA moderator Phil Lyons, Student Life administrative assistant Cheryl Kaufmann, KSLU, SLU TV and student groups that performed at Rock the Vote.
Following up on last week’s proposal from SLU TV and Senator Lindsay Ryan, the senate passed a resolution to reorganize the CSO suite in the BSC. Although some students expressed concerns about losing study space, the bill passed unanimously. SLU TV will now occupy most of the suite; in return, they plan to provide free equipment and training to other student organizations.
Responding to a request from the Indian Asian Student Alliance, the senate agreed to allocate $4,074.24 in spot funding to host a speaking engagement by Rajmohan Ghandi, Ph.D.
Grandson and biographer of the Indian independence leader Mahatma Ghandi, Rajmohan Ghandi will speak on the philosophy of nonviolence and its applications in everyday life. The engagement will receive additional funding from the International Student Federation, the Cross Cultural Center and the Great Issue Committee.
“IASA has previously just focused on culture and art, as we will in the next few weeks with our Cultural Show later this month. Thanks to an influx of freshmen, we are growing, and we’d like to expand our organization’s mission to address social issues as well,” Ankur Dave, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and president of IASA, said.
The senate also passed a resolution to honor Shirley Lindsey, a cashier at the SLU Barnes & Noble College Bookstore, who is retiring after 11 years of service. The resolution said Lindsey was “accountable, responsible . and genuine to students.”
“Shirley has her own quiet way, but she is in tune with what we do. She is a really caring and heartfelt lady,” Executive Vice President Evan Krauss said.
President Cari Johns finished the meeting with her thoughts on the election and hopes for SGA.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone who ran and, in particular, the new executive board. Still, everyone has to remember that this senate is going to continue working until the very end of April. We’re not going to be lame ducks,” Johns said.