Academic
Senate election results reconsidered
By Daniel
Linck Savino
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
The Associated Students Senate met Wednesday in a short and subdued meeting.
Last week, the Senate voted on two applicants for three vacancies on the Academic
Senate. Though Tasharie Ameral was easily approved, Sterling Harris’ efforts
met with strong rebuke led by Senator-at-Large Sandra Olmedo.
Because of doubts about Harris’ competency and unavoidable victory, Olmedo
began an effort to cancel his appointment.
Other senators’ doubts became apparent during the hearing.
Sen. Heidi Chavez, College of Health and Human Services, asked Harris, “Do
you know exactly what the Academic Senate will be looking at?”
Harris responded that he didn’t, but is “prepared for anything.”
A motion was made to reconsider the election, and was put on this week’s
agenda. Due to technicalities in parliamentary procedure, it is not possible
to reconsider an election, so after the vote was taken Olmedo immediately moved
to “rescind” the election in its entirety.
The Senate quickly focused on the legal aspects of how and if a completed vote
could be changed.
Chairman and ASI Vice President Hironao Okahana called AS
Attorney General Kevin Rhodes to the floor in order to clarify the matter.
“
This [type of motion] is the way that things that have been voted on can be
immediately reversed,” Rhodes stated.
In order to leave early for a dinner hosted by President Robert C. Maxson,
the Senate postponed voting on the rescindment until next week.
Another budding controversy is the stipend being paid to Bobby Godina, chief
of staff for AS President Jamie Pollock. There are four annual stipends of
$15,864 available to students in the AS executive branch.
Historically, the president, vice-president, treasurer and administrator earn
that money. This year, however, Pollock decided to have Godina paid instead
of the administrator, based on his workload.
Pollock urged the Senate to support
an impending amendment allowing him to legally be paid.
|
