A bill was presented by ASUI Chief Justice Zachary Spence that if enacted would affirm the position of the ASUI Supreme Court as the appellate body in ASUI elections, giving the court ultimate power in elections.
The proposed bill would require the ASUI Elections Coordinator to obtain affirmative decisions from the ASUI Supreme Court before proceeding with the disqualification of candidates. At this time all appeals, unsettled fines and decisions are made by the ASUI Rules and Regulations Committee and ASUI governing documents.
Director of Student Involvement Shawn O’Neal said parts of the bill disturbed him, and that further discussion on the bill will occur before it goes up for vote next week.
A bill passed unanimously without discussion to allocate $700 from the Senate budget to the College Assistance Migrant Program to assist with the cost of bringing Dr. Jose Hernandez to campus as the keynote speaker for Farmworker Awareness week. According to the bill, Hernandez is the first NASA astronaut from a migrant farm working family.
The Senate also unanimously passed a resolution written by third year student Jennifer Bautista Ramirez tat calls on the University of Idaho to continue to recognize National Farmworkers Awareness week on campus regardless of the federally funded presence of the CAMP program.
Jacob Lockhart moves to vote on a resolution. Kali Nelson l Argonaut
A bill also passed which amends the ASUI constitution to limit the powers of the Judicial Branch. According to the bill, the Supreme Court has more power than any other entity of ASUI.
It includes the addition that in the event that a Supreme Court Justice is deemed unfit to serve by the Ways and Means Committee, the committee can remove the justice from office with a 2/3 majority vote.
ASUI President Nicole Skinner updated the Senate on the ICCU Arena. Skinner said the State Board unanimously voted to allow the university to proceed with construction on the arena. She also updated the Senate on the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship and said that in 2019 the State Board of Education will have to notify award recipients by Nov. 15.
Skinner also said the plus/minus grading passed in the Faculty Senate and will now go to the university faculty meeting. If it passes there it will go on to President Staben where a decision will be made based on faculty and student input.
Ellamae Burnell can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @EllamaeBurnell