Council Clippings: GSS fails JFC changes
The Graduate Student Senate (GSS) convened on Tuesday to consider four bils. Executive Vice President Carl Yerger presided over the session, which began with reports from the executive officers and senators.
There was an announcement about proposed renovations to the Tech Rec to make it a more all purpose space. The architects would be meeting with students to get their input on the project.
The committee report on Health Services reported that the student health insurance steering committee would be meeting to discuss insurance matter for next year and Fall 2009.
The Student Activities Committee reported that they chartered 10 new organizations.
The first bill up for discussion was the Joint Allocation to Men's Lacrosse Club. The team was asking for new shoulder and arm pads. They had requested pads three years before and the warranty on the pads had expired. The amount requested was ammended to two-thirds of the total cost, $2,240. The bill passed 31-1.
The next bill was the Joint Allocation to Water Polo. The team qualified for the national tournament in Arizona. They requested travel expenses and entry fees for 13 members. The bill passed 34-0.
The third bill up for consideration was the Joint Allocation to the Astronomy Club. They requested $1206.26 for sky charts, binoculars, a telescope and a telescope building kit. The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) recommended cutting the spending by two-thirds based on the capital expenditures policy.
There was debate on whether to make an exception to the policy, because the Astronomy Club requested a similar bill in the Spring semester but complications prevented them from claiming the money.
The senators debated whether GSS was responsible for the complications or the club. The GSS voted to keep to the JFC recommendations, and the bill passed at two-thirds of the requested amount, 32-1 with two abstentions.
The final bill was the Joint Resolution to Amend the Policy of the JFC. The bill concerned the two-thirds cap the JFC imposed on capital expenditures. After debate for both sides of the issue, the bill failed to pass, 5-19 with one abstention.
The fact that the GSS failed this bill was significant because the UHR, after much debate, ended up passing it during their session later that day; as a result, the UHR's passing of the bill was not binding.
Bills passed
Joint Allocation to Tech Water Polo
Joint Allocation to Men's Lacrosse Club
Joint Allocation to Tech Astronomy Club
Bills failed
Joint Resolution to Amend the Policy of the Joint Finance Committee
