Senate agenda throws up surprises
Just last week, our opinion editor Robert D’Andrea was on the radio talking about the great underused power of the Student Senate president — setting the agenda. That’s not “setting the agenda” in the metaphorical sense, but instead in the literal sense of actually writing up the schedule by which things happen.
Perhaps acting Senate President Alex McCafferty was listening (if so, thanks!)? The ASUO just sent out its agenda for Wednesday night’s Senate meeting and it looks well different from a lot of what we’ve seen from McCafferty (It’s at the bottom of the post).
McCafferty has confirmations for the senators Emma Kallaway appointed over the summer up first. Who does that help? Considering the appointees (former Sens. Carina Miller and Hailey Sheldon) are close friends of Nick Gower’s, probably him. How? Well, right after their likely appointment, he will face a vote to see if he or Sen. Nick Schultz is the Senate’s new president. Two good friends on the body? Probably helps.
There are, of course, other explanations. Miller and Sheldon are sitting on the same Senate as whomever is the new president, so McCafferty might simply have thought it was fair to give them a chance to vote. That’s almost beside the point, though, since he could, if he wanted to sway the vote in Schultz’s favor instead, have put them afterwards. That is to say the Senate president has more power than his non-voting, non-speaking role suggests.
Here’s the agenda. The new Constitution Court hires are in there after the funding requests, which usually go first.
1) Call to Order
2) Approval of the Agenda
3) Senate Confirmations
a. Seat 5
b. Seat 8
4) Senate Officer Nominations *Executive Session Pending*
a. Senate President
b. Senate Vice President
c. Senate Ombuds
d. Senate Treasurer
e. Senate Academic Chairperson
5) Special Requests
a. PRSSA
b. ASUO Exec (2)
6) Con Court Nominations
a. Casey King
b. Casey Sanders
c. Andre Washington
7) Approval of the Minutes
a. 9/30/09
Officer Updates
a. Exec
9) New Business
a. PRRC Nomination
10) Adjourn
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I believe I am/was fully aware of the powerful process known as agenda making. A good example of this was the OSPIRG appeal, where I put the ACFC budget to be voted on before hearing the OSPIRG appeal. Hmm Hmm? Im going to miss making the agenda…
Also I personally spoke with both Schultz and Gower and they agreed that Haley and Carina should be on before the nominations.
Excited for tomorrow!