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Student government questioned; student removed from meeting
by Jessi Close
The Metropolitan
A student was asked to leave the Student Government Assembly
(SGA) meeting on Thursday after he became riled, questioning the SGA’s
delay in filling two vacant positions.
“Why are these positions continuing to be unfilled?”
asked Metro student Chris Chandler.
Chandler went on to point out that it was his understanding
one of the reasons former SGA President Felicia Woodson was removed from
office was her lack of effort to fill the empty positions.
“Some of this is a misconception,” said SGA
President Linda Cordova. “I’m not doing what Felicia was doing
at all.”
The positions currently open are Vice President for Student
Services and Vice President for Student Orgaizations. These positions
have been open for about two months.
Chandler questioned whether the SGA had done anything productive,
saying students barely knew about their student government, let alone
any accomplishments.
Chandler also accused the SGA of turning down applications
of fully qualified applicants. He mentioned LaShanta Smith, who served
on the SGA last year.
Chandler reasoned that Smith was not considered due to the
problems surrounding the previous SGA.
When informed that the allotted time to speak was up, Chandler
continued to ask questions and make statements in a manner some members
thought was “getting out of hand.”
“What has the SGA done?” asked Chandler.
While Chandler was asked to leave for inappropriately presenting
his questions, members agreed that more had to be done to reach out to
students.
“I think (Chandler’s) questions are fair,”
said Krista Kaufmann, SGA Vice President for Academic Affairs. “We
shouldn’t shut students out.”
Members agreed to invite Chandler back to the next SGA meeting
and have him sit in to see the projects they are currently working on.
SGA members also encourage all students to come to the meetings every
Thursday.
Cordova said Chandler was not removed because of what he
said, but the way he said it, in addition to the fact he had exceeded
the time limit set on public comments.
“I don’t think it was the SGA’s intent
to not hear what (Chandler) had to say,” Cordova said, “it
was the way he said it.”
Cordova also said Chandler’s concerns were misinformed.
“He’s welcome to review the policy manual to
see what reasons are justified,” she said. “There’s
been no policy violation.”
The current SGA policy manual states that a deadline for
applications must not exceed four weeks, but gives no deadline for the
placement of members. The policy manual also states that if applications
are not in by the deadline, it can be extended.
Kaufmann said some of the students who have applied have
become discouraged when they find out the job was not one that paid hourly.
Most applicants, she said, have withdrawn their applications.
“It’s not hourly, and students want an hourly
job,” Kaufmann said.
Although no decision has been made as of yet, Cordova predicts
the positions will be filled in the next couple of weeks.
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