SA’s GOC (Government Operations Committee) is one of four committees in Senate and is charged in part with writing and rewriting rules for SA. On October 11, they presented three to Senate, all of which passed.
The first bill, titled “Bring on the SwAg,” allows competitive organizations to be eligible for funding from SA for apparel. Before the bill passed, organizations were not allowed to use SA funding for anything other than consumable items such as food. This bill amended the Financial Appropriations Guidelines to allow SA to fund apparel.
In order to receive funding for apparel, an organization must a) be competitive, b) have competition on an “ongoing, public platform” and c) reach beyond the TU community. Additionally, the funding may not be used for apparel that a) is not worn while competing, b) is only worn on TU’s campus unless it is proven to reach beyond TU’s campus, c) is inappropriate or misrepresentative of TU or d) does not include the TU and SA logos.
In order to have apparel funded, an organization must file an application with Senate. Organizations are also limited to $1,000 in total apparel costs and $20 per person receiving apparel.
The second bill establishes a Bystander Intervention Award for the top three organizations that “actively promote bystander intervention awareness.” The process to determine which organizations fit the criteria for the award has two steps. First, Student Organization Committee (SOC) is tasked with reviewing applications for the award and selecting the top ten contenders. The applications are due no later than March 31, though SOC can set an earlier deadline. The applications are supposed to be available at least two weeks before the application deadline.
In order to review applications, SOC will use a grading rubric. The rubric awards 70 out of 100 points for completing the Bringing in the Bystander program. Organizations can receive another 20 points for participating in other programming. There is also 10 points of “extra credit” available for other efforts an organization might take.
The second level of review is done by a committee panel whose members are to be determined by SOC. However, the committee will include the SOC chairperson; the SA president, vice president and advisor and at least one member of the Advocacy Alliance. The committee is to conduct an interview with a student representative from each of the ten organizations. It is supposed to pick the top three organizations as winners. The prizes are to be selected by the SA president. $3,000 from Organization Allocations has been selected for the implementation of this Award system.
The final bill fixes a discrepancy between the Judicial Code and the SA Constitution. Previously, the Judicial Code required justices to be confirmed no later than the first Senate meeting in October. In contrast, the Constitution required them to be confirmed no later than the sixth week of the fall semester. This bill just changed the Judicial Code to follow the Constitution.
