by Lisa M. Chmiola
Staff Writer
The University of Houston Students' Association Senate began its 34th administration with a clean slate and the announcement of SA participation in the searches for a new provost and a new athletics director Wednesday night. However, it faced the same problem that often plagued the last administration: low attendance.
Of the 32 newly elected senators, only 18 attended.
"There is a lot going on on campus tonight," said Vice President Jon Erickson. Other activities, he explained, kept senators from attending, not counting a few who were ill.
"The rest (of the no-shows), I don't have any excuses for them," Erickson said. He said those senators who never show to receive the oath of office are eventually replaced.
However, none of the 14 senators who missed the meeting will receive an absence towards the eight allowed, since they have not officially taken office, Erickson said. "These don't count against them until they're sworn in," he explained.
The relationship between SA and the university's new administration and UH System Chancellor/UH President Arthur Smith has already begun, as President Natalie Merritt announced that she had selected student representatives to search committees for provost and athletics director.
Merritt and graduate political science student Hector Luna will serve on the provost committee, while Erickson and sophomore business major Jason deGroot will assist in the search for an athletics director.
Another aspect of the old administration resurrected itself as the first piece of legislation, a bill to amend the class schedule to reflect the actual length of classes, was presented to the Senate.
The bill states, "University classes are currently scheduled to be dismissed 10 minutes before the published end of the class period, and the only mention of this fact is in the fine print at the end of the class schedule." It calls for classes to be listed as ending at 20 or 50 minutes after the hour instead of on the hour or half-hour, as is current practice.
Bill author and Residence Halls Association President Andrew Becker said the bill is meant to help all students. "There are plenty of students that would benefit (from the change) and no students would hurt, so why not?"
The bill was brought before both the 32nd and 33rd administrations, Erickson said. "The first time, it died in the (university) president's office. This past time, it was killed coming out of committee," he explained.
The 33rd Senate sent the bill to its Academic Affairs Committee, responsible for any legislation involving university academic programs.
According to the 33rd administration's records, the bill was released from the committee in July 1996, without a recommendation for passage because senators said "the intent could be misunderstood" and such legislation might be "overextending" the group's range of power.
After it was released from committee, the Senate voted on, and defeated, the bill.
As for the future of the bill this time around, Erickson said it is difficult to predict what will happen. "Right now, I think it's a coin toss. I think its going to depend on who is placed into the Academic Affairs Committee."
He said that the bill will likely receive attention once it reaches the Senate floor. "There's going to be a lot of debate," he said. "If people feel passionately enough ... they'll vote for it."
If the bill is approved by the Senate, it must also receive endorsements from Merritt and Smith before the change can be implemented.
"I think it will pass (the Senate)," Becker said. "The question is, will it get the signature from the president's office this time?"
"I think with the new (university) administration, there's a chance (for the bill to become law)," Erickson said.
In addition to taking action on legislation, Merritt also encouraged senators to become involved in their colleges by setting up meetings with deans and students.
"Ask them what they think," she told the Senate. "That's where you need to hit them the hardest."