The Florida A&M University 54th Student Senate met to assess financial accountability among university agencies and review four new bills.
During committee reports, Activity and Service Fee Committee Liaison Connor Cooper motioned to freeze six agency accounts due to incomplete Activity and Service (A&S) reports, which are mandatory monthly submissions. The affected agencies are the Campus Activities Board, Campus Activity Recreation, Efferson Student Union, Efferson Student Union Activity Recreation Complex, the Legislative Branch, and Special Projects.
The A&S committee cannot accurately track expenses without these reports. The Senate approved the freeze, now having ten business days to perform each audit to identify issues leading to the incompleteness. In the meantime, the agencies are prohibited from using their funds.
In executive committee reports, it was announced that Internal Development Committee Chairman Larry Lafrance has stepped down due to personal reasons, with Senator TaMya Bracelet appointed as the new chair. Lafrance will remain an active senator.
The executive branch highlighted the success of SGA week activities and encouraged the Senate to propose initiatives for collecting non-perishable food and hygiene items for the food drive ahead of the 2024 Florida Classic, in partnership with Bethune-Cookman University’s SGA. Initial efforts, including the “Pie A Student Leader” event, have generated donations.
After committee reports, the Senate unanimously approved the Internal Rules of Procedure, reviewed in the previous meeting. Four new bills were then presented.
The first, titled “Senate Curfew,” was introduced by Senators Kennedy Williams, Joseph Stucky, and Vice Chairwoman Tyler Brown. This bill seeks to establish a fixed start and end time for Senate meetings to enhance efficiency. Currently, meetings begin no later than 6:30 p.m. and can last until 3 a.m. the following day. The proposed 11 p.m. curfew aims to ensure senators can be great students as well.
“Being that we are student leaders, myself as well as Senator Stucky and Chairwoman Brown feel that it is important that we operate within the time of which our brains can function to the best of our ability,” Senator Williams expressed. “At the end of the day, you don’t want to be here until 2 a.m. making rushed decisions instead of informed decisions.”
The second bill, the “Natural Disaster Bill,” aims to amend the Electoral Commission’s Bill of Rights in response to natural disasters. Authored by Senators Tiana Daniels, Rose Laure Louis, Rayshawn Bien-Aime, Kennedy Williams, and Essence Gilbert, this bill addresses interruptions to elections caused by emergencies, such as hurricanes. It mandates that the Electoral Commission compensate candidates and the student body for any missed voting days due to emergencies. Other senators suggested broadening the amendment to encompass all university closures.
The third bill titled, “Better Publication of Information,” was sponsored by Vice Chairman Jonathan McClover and A&S Liaison Connor Cooper, which aims to provide an additional resource for students to be notified about SGA events and initiatives through FAMU’s campus radio station, WANM-FM 90.5 The Flava Station. Instagram and iStrike are currently the primary forms of communication however, information technology scholar Jacob Henson who wrote the bill explained that for incoming freshmen this can be overwhelming to navigate.
“I was here as a freshman for Summer B. It was hard for us freshmen to know what was going on, being informed and knowing where to go.” Henson shared. It was noted by a graduate student in the gallery that there was once an SGA segment on the radio station and investigating the function of said segment can lead to the achievement of this goal.
The FAMU Police Department’s 2024 Crime Log recorded 33 disturbances on campus in the past two months, with 22 occurring in October. Incidents include theft, harassment, assault, and other offenses.
The fourth bill, “Campus Security Improvement,” was introduced by Senators Monquaris Williams, Jessiyah Victorin, and Judicial and Rules Committee Chairwoman Nissa Phillip. This bill aims to hold FAMU Housing and the Residence Hall Association accountable for necessary safety measures. The FAMU Police Department explained that various security firms monitor campus through internal and external surveillance. However, procedures like residence checks and ID verification often become lenient, contributing to the rise in disturbances.
At the meeting’s conclusion, the Senate voted to send all bills to the appropriate committees for further review.