By Courtney Walsh, Assistant News Editor
The Student Government Association (SGA) met for the last time of the Fall 2010 semester this past Tuesday, Nov. 30. The meeting commenced at 6:11 p.m. with SGA members serenading senators who celebrated their birthdays over Thanksgiving break with birthday well wishes.
The SGA then saw one new club, The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA). ALPFA is the largest Latino association for business professionals and students with chapters nationwide and over 15,000 members. Its mission is to create opportunities for its members while enriching their cultural experience; members have to pay dues of $20 a semester and must attend a national chapter meeting once a semester. The club passed unanimously.
Next the senate addressed a topic, which previously had been heavily debated by the senate, a piece of legislature by senator Liz Weeden purposing a sabbatical for senators on foreign exchange.
"It's a little different, I would like to point out first of all that for sabbatical legislation a senator must request it through the vice president, however now sabbatical must be passed by the senate as well," said Weeden before opening debate.
Despite Weeden's alterations to the bill, which included a cap at no more than two senators on sabbatical at the same time, senators were unconvinced.
"If you're a passionate SGA member you should be willing to re-delegate, someone kept talking about she, she, she, meaning the speaker of the bill. This should not be a personal matter, the vote should be in favor of the benefit of the senate as a whole," said one senator.
Others didn't mince words.
"We should be taking this as a selfless jobs, being a senator means wanting to better the Hofstra community. It would be selfish for a senator who isn't present not to step down and allow a delegate who is here to take their place," said another senator.
Weeden was inspired to bring about the legislation when she herself faced demotion to delegate upon return from her semester abroad this spring. Despite the vocal disapprovals, some senators defended Weeden and her purposed legislation.
"Liz is not only going to be representing SGA, while she's abroad she'll be doing it on a national level," said one senator.
Still Weeden's bill failed to pass.
As the semester comes to a close, SGA plans to host one last event focused on anti-hate. The event, titled H.A.B.I.T (Hofstra Against Bulling, Intimidation, and Torment), will take place on Friday, Dec. 3 at 4:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center Theater. The SGA will also participate in Hofstra's annual Sinterclaus with Sigma Pi and Theta Tau.
(Courtney Walsh/The Chronicle)