Turmoil and determination were both present at the SGA meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The meeting took place in the shadow of a judicial charge that has been filed against the SGA by an unnamed person. The charge alleges discrepancies and misallocations in 606 funding.
The case will be heard by the Student Court, which is currently being trained, so the hearing should be fairly soon.
The Student Court hears cases involving alleged violations of university regulations, the Student Government Consti-tution or Code of Laws, and any other cases deemed appropriate by the senior associate vice president for Student Affairs.
However, according to Aaron Caton, vice president of SGA, the case is not hindering the SGA from performing its normal activities.
“We’re still doing our jobs, and as long as we’re in office, we’ll continue to do what we are supposed to be doing,” Caton said.
The attorney general of the SGA will be handling the case.
The unrest in the Senate due to the recent events was the main focus of Caton’s address to the Senate at the meeting.
He spoke of the low numbers at meetings and of the talk amongst some senators to impeach SGA President Jennifer Berry.
“Instead of trying to kick her out, we should be trying to find a way to keep her around for a while,” Caton said.
He also spoke of hopes that SGA would become a unified entity once again without the continuous criticism of their fellow senators.
“Let’s get started doing what’s right,” Caton said.
Berry declined to comment on the impeachment discussions, saying she could not talk about the matter because of the pending Student Court case.
“It’s an educational experience,” she said. “I feel as president of SGA, I have learned certain aspects of life that I never would have learned inside of a classroom.
“We as SGA feel that we are working hard for students and every decision that is made is for the best interest of students,” Berry said.
One of the main focuses of Tuesday’s meeting was the confirmation of the new justices.
They were voted on and confirmed by a unanimous vote. They were then sworn in by Chief Justice Andrew Dyer.
The seven new justices are Lindsey Houston, Mattea Cosmann, Gary O’Dell, Sheena Ramsey, Penny Street, Dawn Blackwell and Aaron Fielden.
“The student justices will primarily be serving on the student court,” said Dr. Sally Lee, advisor to SGA.
Another item on the agenda was the initial reading of SSR-02-001.
According to Caton, during the upcoming trial, the attorney general will be handling the case while the SGA goes about their normal business. However, the Senate wants to stay informed of the events occurring in the case.
A proposed Senate resolution means that the attorney general will argue that the case be held in an open court hearing so that SGA members may attend.
A committee will review the proposal and make sure it is legal and feasible. They will also talk to the sponsor of the proposal. The senate will then discuss and possibly vote on the proposal.
SGA began making plans for future events that would help them become more involved on campus.
Caton said SGA doesn’t want their activities to be overshadowed by the upcoming court case nor does he want students to worry about what is happening with their funds.
“One thing I want the students to know is we’re working really hard to make sure their money is allocated in a fair professional way,” he said.

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