Student Government had its high points and downfalls, cooperation and controversy and opportunities and barriers this year.
“MORE FOR LSU”The term of former President Stuart Watkins and Vice President Martina Scheuermann started in April 2009 with the promise of “more for the University.”By the end of their first semester in office, their administration completed 14 of 34 initiatives. They conceded several initiatives were unfeasible, including a syllabus database on PAWS.Watkins also conceded plans for a lighted Tiger Trail through campus and enabling University-wide purchasing of recycled paper because of high costs. During the spring semester, Watkins and Scheuermann took on many initiatives not on their original pushcard, including allocating $5,000 for a new bike fleet for the UREC Student Recreation Complex.At the end of their term, they completed 25 of their 34 initiatives.”By no means do I think it’s a mark of unsuccess,” Scheuermann said. “What we did this year breaches far beyond what’s on that pushcard.”Watkins said they took on the idea of small things going a long way.”That was the one key idea that we tackled this year and whether it was the holiday shuttle or providing a safe ride to and back from the bars at night,” Watkins said.Former Arts and Sciences Sen. Andy Palermo lost to Watkins in the Spring 2009 presidential race and said Watkins has been less visible than previous administrations.”Last year’s presidential election, we saw a huge voter turnout and a huge amount of candidates running for president and vice president and I wish they would’ve done everything they promised,” Palermo said.
STATE CAPITOLSG has greatly increased its presence at the Louisiana State Capitol this year.They bused more than 60 students to the capitol to speak to legislators about TOPS and the LA Grad Act. The event, “Fund our Future,” was a huge success, according to Watkins.”We started engaging students in conversations with representatives,” Watkins said. “We didnt come to protest. We came with a proposal that outlined solutions instead of emotional rhetoric.”
GRADUATE WALKOne of the more controversial projects from SG this year was the 2010 Class Gift Project.Senate passed the resolution for the “Graduate Walk,” which includes a mandatory $30 fee for graduating seniors to fund a brick engraved with the graduate’s name to be placed in the sidewalk around the Parade Ground. The project would ultimately be a tradition for each graduating class and could include classes for as much as the next 20 years.”We’re trying to establish a tradition,” said Tiffany Compagno, 2010 Class Gift Committee chair. “Freshmen will come in at orientation and say, ‘I can’t wait until I get my name on a brick.'”The graduate walk, like the Dodson Garden project, is one of many campus beautification projects former SG administrations have created.Senate voted to bypass a student vote and have Chancellor Michael Martin approve the project. However, Martin said the project should be a student decision and sent it back to Senate to decide. No further action has been taken this semester.
ELECTION SEASONMarch 3 began the brief but tumultuous four-week election season.Four tickets ran this year: Brooksie Bonvillain and Chris Sellers of “Leading the Way,” J Hudson and Dani Borel of “StudentsFIRST,” Theo Williams and Millena Williams of “Geauxing the Distance” and Bryan Wooldridge and John Craig of “Two Kings for LSU.”The general election was March 23.”Leading the Way” candidates Brooksie Bonvillain and Chris Sellers won 40.9 percent (2,194 votes) of the student vote, while J Hudson and Dani Borel of “StudentsFIRST” took 27.9 percent (1,493 votes). A candidate must receive a majority vote to win outright.”Leading the Way” and “StudentsFIRST” campaigned for another week until the runoff election on March 30.”StudentsFIRST” received 51.1 percent of the vote (2,150 votes), and “Leading the Way” received 48.9 percent (2,057 votes).JUDICIAL PROCESSThe runoff election was not the end of the election process.Hudson filed a complaint against the Election Board for reinstatement of all the “StudentsFIRST” candidates. Hudson incorrectly filed their expenditure reports, a minor clerical error according to Borel.Former Speaker of the Senate Tyler Martin filed a complaint against Hudson for failing to properly file accurate expenditure reports as required by the Election Code.Martin noted “clear breaches of the election code of an unaccounted-for $55 on the StudentsFIRST expenditures.Bonvillain also filed a complaint against Hudson for breaches of the election code.The complaint accused “StudentsFIRST” candidates of breaching rules prohibiting candidates from being cross-listed on multiple tickets and operating on an unrecognized ticket. Trial Court Judge Daniel Marsh ruled in favor of Hudson and the reinstatement of “StudentsFIRST” candidates in all three court cases.All three cases were appealed to University Court, but UCourt ruled to only hear Martin vs. Hudson.During the case, UCourt also ruled in favor of Hudson, and the reinstatement of the candidates by Marsh was not changed.UCourt Chief Justice Sean Horridge swore in Hudson and Borel on April 21 in front of Memorial Tower.
__Contact Catherine Threlkeld at [email protected]