The last Student Government Association meeting of October got underway this past Tuesday with a guest speaker. Maria Costa, international student advisor, spoke to the Senate about exchange programs available at ETSU.
She highlighted some of the opportunities to study at other U.S. institutions and abroad.
“It’s really a wake up call. It’s an experience that you will never forget,” said John Tipton, who previously spent a semester at the University of Huddersfield in England.
Appearing at the request of Costa, Tipton shared some of his feelings and experiences about his semester in England with the Senate.
The next issue on the agenda was the bill to rewrite the Code of Laws to remove the Senate Clerk’s position and give the responsibility to the Secretary-Treasurer.
However, Sen. David Lane moved to table the bill until the Legislative Committee could have a look at it.
The motion passed with no opposition.
Next, four new Senate members were inducted into the Senate via the selections process. Lauren Mitchell, Warren Withrow, and Dustin Flanary passed on a vote of 18-0-0, and Chris Jacobs passed with a vote of 17-0-1.
The selections chair, Tiffany Porter, praised all four inductees as “wanting to get involved.”
After the selections process was finished, the amendment to combine all the Senate seats for the off-campus sites, which include Bristol, Greeneville and Kingsport, into one seat had its first reading.
Presently, there are two seats, one for Bristol and one for Kingsport.
The Bristol seat is vacant, and has not been filled for sometime.
Also, the resolution to recognize Veterans’ Day as an official University holiday received a first reading.
“I feel like (Veterans’ Day) needs to be recognized. I feel that right now is the time to show our respect to those who have died for our freedom,” Porter said during an interview after the meeting.
She and Lane both stressed importance of Veterans’ Day and the need to have it recognized by the university.

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