News

Ex-senators blame SGA leadership

By Ray Hafner
Senior Staff Writer

Three of the Student Government Associationis top senators have resigned since last semester, with some saying a lack of leadership, particularly from Speaker of the Senate Jeff Hill, prevented things from getting done.

Behrooz Paizi/The Daily Cougar

"I think the pattern might be attributable to, in one sentence, the lack of strong leadership," said former Sen. John Poole. Poole, a senior marketing student, said he was burned out and needed to focus on his academics and finding a job.

Outspoken former Senator April Spreeman-Harter resigned over winter break and pointed the blame squarely at Hill.

"Bottom line, I think his leadership skills need a lot of improvement," she said.

"The amount of time SGA requires to really get something accomplished was killing me," she said. "Jeff is supposed to be the one to motivate senators."

Many senate members speculated Spreeman-Harter, who served as a College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences representative, had retired over conflicts with President Dawona Miller. Spreeman-Harter denied that.

The administration, which is a separate body from the senate, works to support senators by practicing an open-door policy, President Miller said. SGAis administration also sponsors large town hall meetings all senators can attend.

Miller also cited a senate retreat held in December that was attended by 10 of the 29 senators. Poole and Spreeman-Harter did not attend, Miller said.

Miller also said Hill was "not doing an adequate job" in his role as speaker. Miller said Hill had been suffering from medical problems and dealing with his motheris illness. Hill could not be reached by phone or e-mail for this article.

Hill did not attend a meeting Wednesday, and Speaker Pro Tempore David Burkley ran the meeting instead.

Temitope Ayoola, a longtime SGA member who was most recently serving in an at-large seat, also resigned, citing a new job which prevented him from attending meetings, Miller said.

Miller said the three resignations were actually an improvement over Spring 2002, when seven senators retired around the same time.

Two new appointees have already taken office. Charisa Washington will fill business seat No. 2, and Mohamad Halawi will fill at-large seat No. 2.

Both Washington and Halawi were picked when they came to the SGA offices with ideas for improving the University. They were "genuinely interested" in SGA, Miller said. She recommended them to the senate.

Spreeman-Harter said she was pleased with her time at SGA but said the organization is only as good as the people in it, and that if itis going to be strong, it needs to make some changes.
 

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