The Black Student Alliance’s representation in the Student Government Association was up for discussion at the group’s bimonthly meeting on Monday, April 9. BSA members and visiting student leaders considered the possibility of scrapping BSA’s SGA Senate seats and relying instead on the newly formed Diversity Leadership Cabinet to act as an advocate for all minorities on campus. While some argued that the group’s special presence in SGA was unfair, BSA members overwhelmingly expressed their opposition to removing the seats.
“I don’t think the seats should be removed. We’ve come a long way since the Civil Rights Movement, but we’re still not at a point where we can say that we don’t need them. Honestly, there are times when a black voice is needed,” said Jessica McNeese, a current BSA senator and junior in the College of Public Service.
BSA holds two spots on the senate, and their president sits on the SGA Executive Board. This is somewhat atypical, as most senators represent either residence halls or academic divisions of the University. The International Student Federation is the only other campus organization that receives specific representation on the senate and an automatic seat on the executive board.
BSA and ISF’s unique position in SGA has often been a cause of contention. Proposals to eliminate their seats have been floated repeatedly in the past several years, although never successfully.
Some at Monday’s meeting echoed concerns about BSA’s unusual position on the senate.
“If you look at it, only two groups are represented on the senate. That’s not fair to other minorities. It comes down to fairness and respect,” Dominique Gonzales, president of BSA, said afterward.
Some at the meeting suggested that the problem could be solved by giving senate seats to other cultural groups, such as the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, Muslim Student Association or the Indian Student Association.
Lulu Pinzon, president-elect of HALO, was present at the meeting. She said that she would “welcome” a senate seat for HALO and that senate representation was important for cultural organizations.
SGA President Evan Krauss gave a presentation on the Diversity Leadership Cabinet. A branch of SGA, DLC consists of presidents of campus multicultural organizations, as well as two senators and the SGA president. DLC’s role is advocacy for students and the cultivation of leadership among minority students.
Krauss said that DLC might be an alternative to BSA’s presence on the senate and asked the group’s opinion on the matter. Most BSA members at the meeting said that they did not believe that DLC alone would be an adequate replacement for BSA’s seats on the senate.
“I cannot fathom how just two senators could represent all minorities. It’s absurd, and the idea itself is insulting. The Diversity Leadership Cabinet shouldn’t become the one and only voice of minority students on campus,” said Wesley Taylor, a BSA senator and a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Krauss said that he recognized BSA’s concerns and that he did not believe any attempt would be made to remove BSA’s senate seats this year.
“In an ideal sense, I see senators elected without regard to color, religion or sexual orientation-but the reality is that students feel that there’s a need to keep seats like that now,” said Krauss. “Because I represent the will of students, I must be against this change now.”
BSA will hold a final meeting on the issue, including a vote, on Monday, April 23. Gonzales predicts that the organization’s members will reject any attempt to scrap BSA’s senate seats. The results of the meeting will be presented at that week’s SGA meeting.
