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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Thursday, February 8, 2024 Vol. 77 No. 19
THE student voice since 1960
Student Senate hears AFSCME bid for solidarity, announces resignations of two student senators
THE SENATE SCOOP M o n d ay, Fe br u a r y 7, 2024 - G os h e n L o u n g e
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief Several members of AFSCME Local 2887, including President Julie LaTempt-Brazier and Vice President Amy Bodenstab, spoke to the Student Senate during its Feb. 7 open forum asking for support in their contract negotiations. Vice President Jared Jess also announced the resignation of two senators. Eddie Caumiant, regional director with AFSCME Council 31, said AFSCME Local 2887 had been 585 days without a contract. “[That] means [no] cost of living or other adjustments. That means no ability to deal with rising inflation, no ability to
deal with costs associated with COVID and remote work,” Caumiant said. “[It’s] really a pause button [that] has been pressed by this administration that affects some 400 people at this university.” Caumiant said the university had broken the law by offering union members at the School of Dental Medicine a different pay increase than those of the Edwardsville campus, an action he called “unconscionable and ridiculous.” One senator asked how best to support the unions, and Caumiant suggested showing up at the Board of Trustees meeting scheduled for Feb. 8 in the Legacy Room in the MUC. Caumiant also said the Staff Senate had recently passed a resolution in support of the unions. “By Feb. 29, [the university] must
DATES TO KNOW
THIS ELECTION SEASON
have all of the collective bargaining agreements not only resolved, but resolved fairly,” Caumiant said. Before the open forum, Jess announced the resignation of two senators, Rahmat Salau and Anna Krienert, whose schedules no longer allowed them to meet Senate attendance requirements. Jess also issued a public announcement of warning, in accordance with Student Government’s disciplinary policy, to Senators Ashton Carter and Brian Obi for failure to meet the required number of office hours per week. Both senators were given the opportunity to address the Senate after the announcement, but declined. Election Commissioner Luke Head announced that election applications had gone live and gave a brief overview of the election timeline. Head also said he thought earlier elections going forward would allow for more time to train new elected officials. The Senate approved a total of $5,000 in travel funds for nine different organizations, as well as $6,507.62 in program
DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief
FEB. 12
Student Government’s new election commissioner, junior electrical engineering major Luke Head, has plans to clarify and promote this year’s round of elections. Head was appointed senator for non-traditional students in October 2023. He applied for the then-open position of election commissioner and was approved by the Student Senate in December. “It surprised me how much I enjoyed being part of Student Government,” Head said. “When I learned about the commissioner position, I saw it as a great chance to be more involved and have more responsibilities.” Head was not a member of Student Government last year, but said he was aware of the controversy surrounding last year’s elections. Former presidential candidate Ugo Eleonu filed grievances against the Election Commission, which Eleonu said had not followed the protocols laid out by the election manual. “I think a lot … of the troubles of last semester came from inconsistency,” Head said. “Within the document, if one page says one number of hours and another page has another, you’re automatically going to have some troubles and difficulty getting a sure answer.” One of the grievances last year was that the election period was cut short at 36 hours, rather than running the 48 hours required. Head said elections will run for 50 hours this year to avoid that problem. Another grievance
Election information meeting at 3:30 p.m., MUC Board Room
FEB. 21
Candidate applications due by 4 p.m.
FEB. 28
First mandatory candidate informational meeting at 4 p.m., Willow Room
MAR. 1
Second mandatory candidate informational meeting at 10 a.m., MUC Board Room
MAR. 11
Third mandatory candidate informational meeting at 9 a.m., MUC Board Room; Campaigning begins
MAR. 18
First candidate debate at 5:30 p.m., Goshen Lounge
MAR. 22
Second candidate debate at 11:30 a.m., Goshen Lounge
MAR. 25
Elections begin at 9 a.m.
MAR. 27
Elections end at 11:59 a.m.
MAR. 28
Grievances must be filed by 11:59 a.m.
MAR. 29
Unofficial results will be posted by Student Government
APR. 1
Official results will be posted upon ratification by the Senate
APR. 15
Student body president, vice president and student senators will take the oath of office for the 2024-2025 academic year.
D E V PRO
AP
Student Government election timeline released; Commissioner hopes to streamline process
FEB. 2
Candidate applications went live on GetInvolved
funds requests for three organizations. The Senate also approved the formation of two new student organizations. The first, Pudding Club Revamped, plans to meet biweekly on Tuesdays to eat pudding while wearing vampire garbs. The second petitioning organization was Students for Justice in Palestine. Both organizations were approved unanimously. Five senators were absent without an excuse, including Senators Brian Obi, Ray Ehrenhaft, Cheyenne Carpenter, Alexis Allen and Mae Mohme. The next Student Senate meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 19, in the Missouri Room in the MUC.
was filed due to approximately lines need to be set in greater 30 students being unable to vote, detail, because I think they are a which occurs online. little bit vague at this point.” “The website we use is GetHead said the text of the Involved. It’s the same website election manual is not voted on that all the student organiza- by the Senate as a whole, as it tions do their events [with],” acts as a supplementary docuHead said. “It’s the way that ment to the constitution. Howwe can determine what school ever, the Senate has debated a student is a part of, and various motions regarding so that they can vote on this year’s election cycle, the senator that pertains such as a proposal to limto their particular school it campaign spending for or major.” every candidate. Head said he hopes “The idea was pushed to work closely with Inin the interest of making formation Technology Luke Head sure that each candidate Services to ensure that the would be coming from same issues from last year do not the same place when it comes to happen again, but that technical fairness and capability, [such as] issues can be difficult to predict if one candidate was sponsored, and will likely have to be dealt which would allow for a greatwith as they arise. er amount of funds to be put Head also said online ballot in,” Head said. “The concerns stuffing is nearly impossible be- that a lot of the Senate had was, cause of student documentation ‘How do you track that?’ I don’t tied to GetInvolved. have access to these students’ This year’s Election Com- bank accounts.” mission is made up of Head, Head said the motion ulStudent Government Advisor timately failed because the risk Liz Delaney and students Brodie of unprovable allegations being McIntyre and Sylvie Kessler. made was too high. Head said the non-Senate Head said other changes members, who were approved by he plans to implement serve to the Senate in January, offer an benefit both the candidates and outside-the-box perspective on the voters, including a shorter the elections. One of the ques- campaigning period. This shorttions they raised regards the er campaigning period — two approval of campaign materials, weeks as opposed to three — is such as flyers and pamphlets, by mostly to avoid campaigning the commission. over spring break, according “There are a lot of details as to Head. far as where someone can post “Not a lot of students are and the size and material of phys- here during [spring break]. It ical postings,” Head said. “There didn’t make sense to me to have are also guidelines set by the uni- that be a part of the campaign peversity — anything explicit [and] riod. It also gives me more time anything overtly hateful has no place here. That is where some see ELECTION on page 2