In a hotly contested debate, Associated Student Government senators voted to postpone a decision on an anti-war resolution and hold another meeting next week dedicated to discussing the legislation on Iraq.
After an hour of discussion at Wednesday night’s meeting, senators rejected a motion to table the legislation indefinitely. While some students said the Senate needed more time to discuss the resolution, others urged them to vote on the controversial issue.
“Whether you hate it or like it, whether you think we’re stupid or think we’re smart, everyone has an opinion on this,” said Weinberg freshman Noora Lori, the International Studies Residential College senator.
A&O Productions Sen. Ebo Dawson-Andoh had less patience with senators’ indecision.
“Have some balls and make a decision,” Dawson-Andoh said.
Colin Beazley, a senator for Bobb and McCulloch Halls, motioned to create a meeting next week to discuss the legislation.
“I think people’s heads weren’t necessarily in the right mindset to do this so late at night,” said Beazley, a Weinberg sophomore.
Naureen Shah, a member of Peace Project, the umbrella organization that co-wrote the resolution, said she was disappointed that some senators “filibustered” instead of allowing the resolution’s creators to speak.
“To silence us, in effect, is what they were trying to do,” said Shah, a Medill junior.
In contrast to the war resolution, there was little debate on the 2003-04 budget, which senators passed despite a controversial Judicial Board decision Tuesday declaring the budget process unconstitutional.
Treasurer Edith Rivera said the board “owns up to the fact the budget is late,” and senators had the final authority to amend the budget.
The main questions surrounding the proposed budget included funding for executive board photocopies, the ASG lawyer and the Leadership Advisory Board, an annual retreat for A- and B-status student group leaders. Nevertheless, the budget passed without opposition.
Senators had voted to extend the meeting until 11:30 p.m. because they had so much business to discuss in addition to the budget and anti-war resolution, including the passage of student group guidelines, Student Activities Finance Board guidelines and four bills
Senators also debated the joint committee’s decision not to grant A status to the student group Special Olympics, which would allow members to apply for funding Spring Quarter. Senators voted to uphold the committee’s decision.
Srikanth Reddy, Special Olympics treasurer, said the group sent in two petitions to the committee and had been turned down both times.
The national Special Olympics organization told NU’s group that it could not use the name Special Olympics outside of the sporting event because of liability issues. Reddy said the group would need extra funding because its upcoming name change would make it less recognizable and therefore make fund raising more difficult.
Le’Jamiel Goodall, financial vice president and SAFB chairman, said the group’s programming benefited outsiders more than students.
The organization’s leaders said Senate’s decision was disappointing.
“We didn’t forsee this at all,” said co-chairwoman Alicia Meyer, a Weinberg senior. “We expected an extremely positive response.”
Rick Armbrust, co-chairman and a McCormick senior, said a Senate that would approve funding for its own leadership retreat but not for Special Olympics had “skewed priorities.”
The new financial vice president, Erica Williamson, was confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office. Senators also passed student group guidelines and SAFB guidelines for the upcoming year along with four bills. One calls for more lighting at The Arch; another asks for more art theory and practice classes; the third calls on NU to emphasize professors’ teaching over research; and the last asks businesses to advertise the WildCARD Advantage program.
