LiveBlog: 2/27 LSU Student Government Senate Meeting

6:21 p.m. - Boss Hog is ready to blog. Don’t know why I put that there, but you’d be amazed at how few words rhyme with blog. Anyway, Eric Freeman back in the Atchafalaya Room, fully healed and ready to rock. Word on the street is we’re looking at a short meeting tonight, and I’m looking forward to every heart-stopping moment.

6:24 p.m. - On a side note, I can’t explain how much of an honor it is to share the press table with Natalie Messina. I know it’s tacky to cite other writers and columnists in my blog, but this is, in fact, my blog, and I’m sitting next to the most promising future journalist these 21-year-old eyes have ever seen. It is a true honor. You’re reading words being typed two feet away from greatness. Granted, the typer of these words isn’t too shabby, if I do say so myself.

Gavel

6:32 p.m. - Speaker Colorado Robertson pounds the gavel. Game on SG.

New Senator

6:35 p.m. - The blog would like to extend its congratulations to John Collens, the newest member of the Senate. Congratulations, senator, but do realize you’re being watched. Just kidding. But really…

Public Input

6:40 p.m. - A partnership between SG and the student art gallery is forged. March 5th and 6th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the gallery will be displaying the 2007 National Championship trophy, with which you can take pictures. Attendance is free, and there is no touching of the trophy. Completely seriously, no touching.

More public input...

6:41 p.m. - Volunteer LSU is having a spring service project on April 5th. They will be traveling to Mid-City to paint homes and repair damages.

Even more public input...

6:43 p.m. - “It gets really tiresome to live on campus sometimes.” An East Lavillean alerts to SG the problems with dorms, citing water problems and roof damage as continuous. “I know you’re handling the homosexual ticketing thing fiasco last week, but it would be nice if SG did something for the average student.”

Question from a senator: “Do you know where we can get thousands and thousands of dollars to start this? I mean, we’re spending a lot on security, and I think that’s a little more important than murky water.”

Reply: “Or no water…”

Sen. Blanco brings up the point that housing and dining are two separate entities. At the same time, the new freshman residency requirement will mandate all new students to purchase a dorm and a meal plan. The two bodies have essentially become intertwined.

Sen Breaux: “Do you find the living conditions at East Laville acceptable?

“No.”

“Do you think SG could do more to fix this problem?”

“Yes.”

An East Lavillean wanted to talk to his Student Government about living conditions on campus, and the senators are instead referring him to other bodies. The senators are forced to ask a question, so they phrase where he should go by starting with “Did you know…?” After speaking at the podium, the student is then hounded by senators on the side to tell him about different places he can go to learn about LSU’s Master Plan, involving renovation and development.

Sen. McEntire

6:56 p.m. - Sen. McEntire brings up a neighbor of his, Vicky Barrett, who found out she has four brain tumors. “I cannot sing loudly the praises of Speaker Robertson, Vice President King and, most importantly, President Cassie Alsfeld for trying to help this poor lady. But there’s only so many times we can call people to get help for her…As student leaders, this is the opportunity we have a responsibility to meet. I beg you. Please go back to where you can. Find what you can give, or come find me. I just beg of you to give what you can.”

Sen. Palermo

6:59 p.m. - Sen. Palermo personally invites the senators to come to the academic calendar review. This Monday at 4:30 p.m. in the Red River Room, students and faculty can come to give their input.

Executive Officer Reports

7:00 p.m. - Director of Communications Parker Wishik apologizes for lack of a more detailed blog. Parker is a self-prescribed perfectionist, but will have a more detailed blog on the Web site soon.

7:03 p.m. - President Cassie Alsfeld thanks Sen. McEntire for telling her about Ms. Barrett’s condition, and further thanks him for bringing this to her attention. “It’s not often that people in our roles get to help people like Vicky. We’ve sent emails to Financial Aid, the LSU Foundation, the chancellor’s office and others to help better accommodate her. Hopefully we can move forward with the process of getting her a tuition waiver. Anything we can bring for her, anything can help.”

7:07 p.m. - Alsfeld continues on to the success of the election forum, an idea of Chancellor Jenkins, and she praises the senators involved with the project. In other news, Eric Monday has been appointed the interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

Changes to football

7:09 p.m. - Dates for availability of student ticket sales will be announced before school lets out. Freshmen will have a one to two day process. It’s no longer first come, first serve for the freshmen. They will put their names in a pool, and hope to be picked. No more “It’s 8 a.m. My computer just crashed, help me!” Signing up on the first day and at the end of the second day will make no difference for incoming freshmen only. They will all be equal, but upperclassmen will essentially have the same system, the dates of availability being announced before school ends.

Committee Reports

7:14 p.m. - Sen. Hanna takes over for Sen. Remson. Academics, Athletics and Administration (AAA) discussed the W policy and will be looking at a rolling grade scale, meaning A+, A-, B+, etc.

7:15 p.m. - Sen. Prestridge and Governmental Relations went to the Governor’s Mansion. Gov. Jindal was on his way to Shreveport, but they met with Jindal’s director of communications, who is allegedly a good guy. He also contacted Southern University about a joint session, possibly at the House of Representatives at the Capital. Southern Student President Carey Ash will meet with Sen. Prestridge about the joint session, which delights me. I first met Carey Ash at Louisiana Boys State in summer 2003. He’s a really good guy, and I’m looking forward to the joint session.

The academic calendar

7:20 p.m. - Sen. Palermo speaks about President Alsfeld’s veto last week of a resolution that would change the academic calendar. He plans to contact every school in the System to get their opinion on a referendum to be passed at a later date. Sen McEntire raises an excellent point: if every school in the system voted against the referendum, it wouldn’t match the capacity of the students at LSU-Baton Rouge. Sen. Palermo replies in merely getting an idea from the other schools about the proposed changes. His resolution is withdrawn.

Resignations

7:24 p.m. - Due to an abnormal number of resignations in the last week from committees, the senators are asked to recruit some friends to help serve on these committees lacking members. Rules state each committee requires at least seven people. Sen. Collens is moved to Students’ Rights and Welfare.

Roommate Matching Survey

7:28 p.m. - A committee is formed through Residential Life to create a roommate matching committee, consisting of two senators, an appointee from President Alsfeld, and another appointee. Sen. Palermo has put together a comprehensive plan to enact a potential resolution supporting this, which will then be submitted to ResLife.

7:29 p.m. - Time for nominations: Sen. Sellers is nominated. Sen. Bonvillain is nominated. Sen. Blanco is nominated. Nominations are closed. It’s duel time.

Sen. Blanco's case

7:30 p.m. - Sen. Blanco works for ResLife and is a senator. She’s lived on campus for three years and was an RA.

Sen. Bonvillain's case

7:32 p.m. - She’s lived on campus too.

Sen. Sellers's case

7:32 p.m. - Sen. Sellers held off another committee because he seriously wanted to be on this committee. He lives on campus too.

Voting

7:33 p.m. - Two of these members will be elected. One will be out, to quote Seal’s baby’s momma.

Breaking News

7:35 p.m. - Speaker Robertson announces a resignation on the Students’ Required Fee Committee, and the position will be opened tomorrow. Here’s the kicker: ANY student can apply. It’s a lot of work, but according to Speaker Robertson, any student can apply.

And the winners are...

7:39 p.m. - Sens. Bonvillain and Sellers win the vote.

Another resignation

7:41 p.m. - Sen. Allison Stuart writes an eloquent letter about her resignation, which is accepted by the Senate.

A story about a Civic

7:42 p.m. - Pointless rambling about directions, the governor’s mansion, and Scarlet, Sen. Hanna’s bright red ‘03 Civic. Humorous story about getting lost behind a Tahoe and then another Tahoe, but not in the least bit relevant to the student body.

The end of black history

7:46 p.m. - The final two Black History Month programs are this week, but the senator audibly doubts anyone from SG will show up. She then looks at Sen. Breaux and says, “even you.”

Vote for Mike the Tiger

7:48 p.m. - Easports.com. Vote for Mike the Tiger as the cover of NCAA Football 2009. Thank you Sen. Remson. All of you reading, vote now. I SAID NOW!

Currently surrounded

7:50 p.m. - I’m now surrounded by senators waiting to speak at the podium. They’re giving me those eyes. Those eyes that say, “What are you doing?”

Sen. McEntire

7:52 p.m. - Sen. McEntire thanks SG for his remarks earlier, as he seemed nervous in front of people for the first time. He thanked Sen. Remson for keeping his comments short and only showing up once at the podium, but it was all in good fun.

Sen. Breaux

7:54 p.m. - The congressional candidates of the 6th district will have a debate next week, March 4th, in the Forum. An attempt to bridge the gap between LSU and Southern tomorrow night in the Atchafalaya Room will start at 7:14 p.m. Sen. Breaux stresses the importance of this gap bridging, stating there’s no need for undue tension between the two universities.

Sen. McMann

7:57 p.m. - Sen. McMann criticizes the body for chastising the East Lavillean, reminding SG that they represent the student body, and should be less critical and more helpful. Very well put.

Adjourn

7:59 p.m. - We’re done. See you next week.

Read the original blog posts at The Daily Reveille...