Post-censure Senate makes changes

In a meeting that ranged between 16 to 17 student senators, Southern University’s Student Senate met in the Henton Room of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on Tuesday to discuss recent changes within the executive branch, among other issues.
The first general body meeting post the Student Government Association cen-sure of president Jamal Taylor, saw approval of senate bills 18,19 and 20, allocating $500 to Pi Lamba, the Dancing Dolls and the International Student Organization. The senate moved to confirm appointee Derrick Murchison, a sophomore political science transfer from New Orleans as the association’s activities coordinator chairman, instead of doing it during the next committee meeting.
Murchison, who is filling the position once held by Elyse McFadden, said he plans to hold more events in the remaining semester, and will send letters to potential sponsors such as Coke-Cola, Wal-Mart, Raising Cane’s and General Motors for programs and events in the future.
In his executive report, Taylor addressed the on campus apartment changes within Residential Life, and a $300,000 addition to the budget, of which Taylor said a skeleton budget would be turned in to Flandus McClinton, the university’s vice chancellor for finance and administration.
The reason behind McFadden’s sudden departure was not made readily available to the public in attendance, but was discussed by Taylor during the legislative branch’s executive session.
Returning with 11 senators and a quorum after the session, Murchison, who is keeping Christopher Strozier on as co-chairman, when asked what he plans to bring to the position, explained that his parents attended Southern and he wanted to, ” Start back and continue the tradition of Southern University.”
“One of the things that I want to do is have at least one weekly meeting of the activities teams, with at least one member from each class,” as he explained that he wanted to hold a Christmas event, which would give back to Southern’s surrounding community.
“We need to give back to the community. I’m in works and in the process of trying to get a Christmas gift and food drive set-up.”
After confirming Murchison, the senate heard the first treasurer report from freshmen appointee Evan Taylor, who told members in attendance that she was “unsure” of what the senators needed within her presentation.
“We are in the evaluation process of the budget,” said Evans. “I don’t know which way to present it (the budget) to you all,” she told the body.
Senate president and SGA vice-president Stasha Rhodes deemed the meeting ‘productive.’
“(The meeting) was very productive,” she said. “Any meeting we can conduct business is productive.”.
The next general body meeting will be this Tuesday at 7 p.m.