Free speech circle discussed with SGA
Andrew Walters
Issue date: 9/29/04 Section: News
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This week's Student Government Association opened with a report from two Western Illinois University students during the student forum. Johanna Kadlubowski, sophomore theater major, and Stephanie Hines, senior elementary education major, told SGA about an incident they witnessed in the free speech circle behind the University Union Tuesday.
According to Kadlubowski, anti-abortion advocates were holding a demonstration in the free speech area and they directed racial hate speech toward blacks. She also said they were verbally abusive to
them and were shouting at people before Office of Public Safety officers asked them to leave.
In light of the incident that the two women felt was offensive, they came to SGA to announce their plan to circulate a petition around campus.
"We are starting a petition to get hate-inspired activists off this campus," said Kadlubowski.
Anyone interested in signing this petition may do so by stopping by the table they will have set up in front of Morgan Hall today.
Moving into the business on Tuesday's agenda, the Senate gave considerable time to appointing people to various committees that had not yet been filled. One appointment that garnered extensive debate was Woody Christy's nomination to serve on the Council on Student Welfare (CSW).
Though it was generally agreed that Christy was in fact well qualified for the position, many members of the senate questioned whether the committee was actually necessary at all anymore.
"CSW has not met on a regular basis for the last two years," said Dan Maxwell, SGA faculty adviser. "The question we need to ask is - does this committee need to exist?"
The senate ultimately decided to give the defunct committee another chance under new leadership. Citing a renewed interest in CSW with Christy and three other student applicants, Agustin Campos, Operations Policies Chair, urged the senate to allow the approval of the appointment.
"Let's put (Christy) on this thing and let's see what he can do with this committee, if anything," said Campos.
The bill passed after much deliberation.
SGA also approved its budget for the fiscal year 2005. According to acting comptroller Scott Rothenberg, the total allocation of funds to the Senate is $15,000.
"A lot of people spent a lot of time on this, but this is written in chalk," Rothenberg said. "With a two-thirds vote you can wipe it away and start over."
SGA also approved a recommendation from the Finance/Special Projects committee to put $200 toward funding "Take Back the Night," an annual event to be held next month that raises awareness about different kinds of abuse.
According to Kadlubowski, anti-abortion advocates were holding a demonstration in the free speech area and they directed racial hate speech toward blacks. She also said they were verbally abusive to
them and were shouting at people before Office of Public Safety officers asked them to leave.
In light of the incident that the two women felt was offensive, they came to SGA to announce their plan to circulate a petition around campus.
"We are starting a petition to get hate-inspired activists off this campus," said Kadlubowski.
Anyone interested in signing this petition may do so by stopping by the table they will have set up in front of Morgan Hall today.
Moving into the business on Tuesday's agenda, the Senate gave considerable time to appointing people to various committees that had not yet been filled. One appointment that garnered extensive debate was Woody Christy's nomination to serve on the Council on Student Welfare (CSW).
Though it was generally agreed that Christy was in fact well qualified for the position, many members of the senate questioned whether the committee was actually necessary at all anymore.
"CSW has not met on a regular basis for the last two years," said Dan Maxwell, SGA faculty adviser. "The question we need to ask is - does this committee need to exist?"
The senate ultimately decided to give the defunct committee another chance under new leadership. Citing a renewed interest in CSW with Christy and three other student applicants, Agustin Campos, Operations Policies Chair, urged the senate to allow the approval of the appointment.
"Let's put (Christy) on this thing and let's see what he can do with this committee, if anything," said Campos.
The bill passed after much deliberation.
SGA also approved its budget for the fiscal year 2005. According to acting comptroller Scott Rothenberg, the total allocation of funds to the Senate is $15,000.
"A lot of people spent a lot of time on this, but this is written in chalk," Rothenberg said. "With a two-thirds vote you can wipe it away and start over."
SGA also approved a recommendation from the Finance/Special Projects committee to put $200 toward funding "Take Back the Night," an annual event to be held next month that raises awareness about different kinds of abuse.
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