The Student Government at Eastern Michigan University held its first senate meeting of the school year, Wednesday in room 310 B in the Student Center. The meeting consisted of appointing different directors of Student Government, as well as establishing the budget for the 2010-2011 school year at EMU, and allocating money requested by different recognized student organizations around the campus.
The meeting began with the appointment of eight different directors including positions such as clerk, judicial sergeant and the director of business and finance. The positions of directors would have been appointed during the Summer Summit, but this was not able to occur because of the absence of the position of the clerk. According to Student Body President Antonio Cosme, 22, “[Student Government] needed better applicants for the position, but in the end it all worked out.”
“One thing I would really love to see is the senators really get involved, to get more notoriety, and for the students at EMU to see we’re here fighting and working for them,” Cosme said.
The Student Senate then proceeded to vote and pass the budget for the school year and resolved to transfer funds from the Student Government surplus to the 2010-2011 operating budgets, which were all passed.
The main order of business for the evening was allocating money for Fashionality, a recently established student organization at EMU. Fashionality’s annual week is Sept. 27- 30, which consist of events on campus and around the Ypsilanti community, including a black tie affair, a program to help and teach high school students in the Ypsilanti community proper interview etiquette, a day of taking pictures around EMU’s campus of the best-dressed students and a grand finale fashion show centered around Big Bob’s Lakehouse.
The organization requested a certain amount and was granted an amended amount after the Student Senate examined, debated and voted over the proposed budget. Ashley Adams, 20, who just recently became a student senator after a friend convinced her to join, voiced her opinion throughout the meeting.
“Overall, I felt bad. Like I was taking money from people, but I still feel like business was taken care of,” Adams said. “Some of the other senators made very valid points, that it’s about doing what’s best for the EMU community.”
Adams joined Student Senate in order to become more involved on campus and after experiencing her first meeting as a senator, would be interested in participating on the executive board in the near future.After the allocation of money for Fashionality, the Student Senate went over executive reports, which included brief discussions over upcoming events. One such event is Homecoming “I Heart Female Orgasms,” a program presented by the Women’s Center, Latino Heritage Month and the New York Times Initiative. With about 20 senator positions already filled there are still positions open to enrolled students at EMU to apply for.
