The agenda for the Wednesday, March 2 Student Government Association meeting did not contain any mention of the debates that took place between senators. With two funding bills, a proposal to change the wording of a committee’s responsibilities and another bill to call for the support of SGA, nothing was unusual. However, when the funding bills presented to senate caused a strong senate reaction, President Courtney Anvender made a statement about handling of such bills.
“You’ve got to look at the arguments on the table and debate cleanly, intelligently with respect,” Anvender said. “There was not a lot of respect here tonight.”
Anvender was referring to arguments during debate on an amendment to the funding bill for the Saint Louis University Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The bill would allocate $250 to the organization for costs incurred from items such as promotional materials, programming and other costs.
Commuter senator Andrew Stevens raised an amendment to lower the allocated funds to $130 because $120 of the funds were going to be put toward events that were not yet determined.
Stevens said it was not fiscally responsible to allocate funds to something so vague. This amendment was opposed and Stevens was said to be “out of line” by senator Matt Specter.
Black Student Alliance senator, Kale Kponee voiced her opposition to the amendment. Kponee said she was worried about the intentions of the senate if the amendment was passed. Her worries were in reference to the fact the rugby team had been allocated $2,160 in spot funding moments before. No senators debated the bill’s passage for the funding of the NAACP.
The amendment failed with all senators voting in opposition and Stevens abstaining.
Stevens made a satatement at the end of the meeting and said he only raised the amendment because senate needs to be diligent in scrutinizing each bill that comes onto the agenda.
“Rugby asked for money last year and we debated for two hours,” Stevens said.
This year, the bill gives spot funds to the rugby team, and Stevens said the bill was quickly passed by the senate. Stevens said it was the senate’s responsibility to be critical of every bill.
Anvender said there was too much personal attacking of senators during debate.
“It’s one thing to question someone’s debate point but it’s completely different to question their motives and integrity,” Anvender said.
