Exigent Theatre Company retained B-status when Associated Student Government senators voted at Wednesday’s meeting against an Executive Committee recommendation to derecognize the group for financial misconduct by its former president.
Senators also approved the top 16 cable channels students voted for in a Residence Hall Association and Residential College Board poll last week.
In addition, Senate confirmed Le’Jamiel Goodall as the new financial vice president. Goodall has served on Student Activities Finance Board for more than two years.
“My main job is to look out for the best financial interest of the student body,” said Goodall, a Speech junior. “We’re of the opinion that good programming, good attendance and happy people all come from the financial decisions.”
The decision not to derecognize Exigent came after Executive Committee member Ben Cherry introduced an amendment changing the committee’s recommendation to allow the group to keep its status if it fixes its organizational problems by the sixth week of Spring Quarter.
Former Exigent President Alex Burns must pay back the $724.28 he used for an Arts Alliance production he directed in the fall. He admitted to forging the signature of Exigent’s treasurer signature on two vouchers to use money from the group’s account. In addition, Burns, a Speech junior, is not allowed to serve as president or treasurer of any student group.
“We’ve identified the problem and corrected it in two ways,” said Cherry, a Chapin Hall senator and Weinberg sophomore. “(Innocent group members) are like sick people, and we don’t kill sick people. We try to make them better.”
Members of Exigent, who pleaded with ASG to keep their group alive at the meeting, said they elected new officers Tuesday night.
Group members also said they will meet tonight with their ASG Executive Committee adviser to have leadership training.
“The deciding factor was a member of Executive Committee agreeing with us,” said Exigent Secretary Nick Johnson, a Speech junior. “It saves us because we will have a spring show.”
The group has planned a show in Shanley Pavilion for the end of May.
“Senate certainly made a decision that groups that have problems should have the opportunity to get rehabilitation without the loss of ASG status,” said ASG Executive Vice President Srikanth Reddy, a McCormick junior. “Basically (members) are starting their own student group under the guise of a previously existing group. The Executive Committee recommendation would never be to allow this.”
In other business, senators agreed with students’ top 16 cable choices, including Comedy Central, CNN, ESPN and MTV.
Student Services Vice President Courtney Brunsfeld said the vote showed a united front to administrators.
“We’re presenting one and only one list from the students, and that means the decisions are really being made by the students for the students,” said Brunsfeld, a Weinberg junior. “I’m just glad the service is finally going to be available to students, and we’re finally past all the voting and deliberation.”
Senators debated whether to replace one of the choices with Black Entertainment Television, but decided against it.
“My constituency did vote, but since they are a minority, of course their voice would be overshadowed by the majority,” said Northwestern Community Ensemble Sen. Andrea Wilson, a Weinberg junior.
Also at the meeting, senators passed two new bills after granting them emergency status. One establishes April 10 as a day to show school spirit by wearing NU apparel. The other bill calls for ASG to survey students about the quality of their dorms and provide results online before students make housing decisions for next year.
Senators will vote on 12 other bills introduced Wednesday at its first meeting Spring Quarter.
