An amendment to the WTAMU Student Government constitution failed to pass in the Student Senate meeting on April 23.
The amendment would allow part-time students to run for Student Senate. Current requirements dictate that only full-time students can be considered for senators.
“There have been applications turned in of over-qualified students; however, they are not taking enough hours as our constitution dictates,” Senator Brianna Harvell said in the meeting. “I think we are very much a commuter school…[and] they are still representatives of WT.”
Student Government has worked to figure out how to have part-time students represented. According to Harvell, the author of CA 20112, it was suggested that there should be a certain number of part-time students represented in each college like there are with graduate students. However, the number of senators would change every year to reflect the current student population.
“My only concern here is that if you allow part-time students in, they should have a higher requirement of GPA just because they have less classes to go to,” Senator Ciro Baldiviezo said.
However, Senator and Vice President-elect Jose Lopez pointed out that such a measure would be discriminatory.“[Just] because they’re part-time doesn’t make them half of a student,” Lopez said. “I feel like we’re pushing them aside in that sense.”
Senator Ellen Ward suggested that the Senate could create a “college” of part-time students, similar to the freshmen college model, as opposed to overhauling the requirements for all students.
After discussions, the amendment was brought to a vote and failed to pass the two-thirds vote requirement needed.
“I don’t think a part-time college would be appropriate because there is no ‘College of Part-Time Students’ like there is a College of Agriculture, Science and Engineering, for example,” President-elect Nick Goettsche said. “We had around five applications from part-time students this year, but could not accept any of them. I do believe it was a significant amount to pass a bill allowing part-time students [to serve in Student Government].”
In another order of business, Miguel Sosa was appointed Student Body Chief Justice for the 2012-2013 school year. Sosa has served in many leadership positions, including Residence Hall Association president, Alpha Tau Omega philanthropy chair and secretary and Interfraternity Council (IFC) president and vice president. He was sworn in as Chief Justice on April 30.
