SGC-MMC leader resigns, president talks leadership development

By Adrian Suarez Avila/ Staff Writer

Kicking off the SGC-MMC Senate meeting last Monday, President Alexis Calatayud discussed her upcoming attendance to a leadership conference aimed at training student government leaders from around the country.

The National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Student Government West Institute Conference, which ran from July 10 to 13, serves as a student affairs event where student government leaders may come together to share ideas.

“The most exciting part, I think, is that we’re going to meet student government leaders from California,” Calatayud said. “Florida and California are the only two states that allow their student government presidents to sit on the Board of Trustees.”

Calatayud cited the Board of Trustees as being the highest level of representation.

“If you don’t have that, then you don’t have much say,” she said.

In addition, Calatayud said she hopes to partner with the University’s athletics department and with student athletes to see how SGC-MMC can creatively increase attendance at athletic events.

Aside from discussing personal pursuits, the Senate also discussed the vacancy of some positions.

As a result of transferring to University of Miami, Caroline Lorenzo left two positions, speaker pro tempore and senator at large, vacant.

“One of the things we need to address statutorily is that there isn’t actually anything in the constitution, the statutes or the rules and procedures that says what to do in the event of the resignation of the speaker pro tempore,” said Speaker of the Senate and graduate Senator Charles Perretti.

According to President Calatayud, the position of speaker pro tempore is a required one.

“It is an executive board position that sits in executive board meetings, University-wide meetings and, in the long-term, budget meetings, which requires the presence of all executive members for votes to be made,” Calatayud said.

Because of the vacancy of the speaker pro tempore position, the Senate will be open to applications from senators who are interested in the position.

In the event that only one senator applies, that senator will win by default.

In the case that more than one senator applies for the position those interested will speak before the Senate in order to explain their qualifications. Votes will then be administered to determine who will take the position.

At present Honors College Senator Nico Pasquariello; at-large Senator and Chair of the Internal Affairs/Review Committee Nicholas Recuset and Finance Chair and CARTA Senator Tomas Alcala are interested in the speaker pro tempore position.

According to Calatayud, as Recuset and Alcala are chairpersons within a committee, one will lose his chairship if elected as speaker pro tempore and the elected person’s vacant position will then be open for applications.

One position in particular requires speedy election.

As no one voted in favor of President Calatayud’s initial appointment for comptroller, Lillie Wilson, during the beginning of the summer semester, the position was never filled.

Despite the Senate’s previous response, Calatayud is appointing Wilson once more for the position, considering that the presence of a comptroller is necessary this year in particular.

“This is a very important year because it’s a base budgeting year,” Calatayud said. “Everyone’s budget is revisited.”

As a result, the comptroller will have to have a great understanding of University trends and how the University works, a responsibility that Calatayud believes Wilson will be able to satisfy.

A brief discussion on student surveys also took place at the Senate meeting.

Student surveys are part of the statutory requirements of the Senators, according to Calatayud.

They serve as a tool to help the Senate understand what the student population wants and needs, allowing senators to have official information to refer to when they meet with administration.

Lower Division Senator Alian Collazo, along with his committee, will begin drafting a survey that they wish to pass on for evaluation to the Senate.

Collazo’s committee also plans to distribute these surveys at the “Love Your Major” fair that will take place in September.

Updating those present on the workings of the Graduate and Professional Student Committee (GPSC), Graduate Senator Rhett Williamson discussed the ongoing update of the committee’s webpage.

He also added that he and members of his committee will be meeting soon to discuss additional applications for students interested in joining the GPSC.

In this meeting, members will review those applicants that were previously denied.

“We’ve had a number of students express interest in appealing rejected applications,” said Williamson. “They are very passionate about their applications.”

This, along with other items on the committee’s agenda, will be discussed in future meetings, Williamson assured.

Concerns over transportation fees were also brought to light.

Raymond Borrero, a Nursing and Health Sciences senator, called to attention a tweet that was featured on the #AskRosenberg feed on Twitter.

The tweet asked why the shuttle bus services between MMC and BBC are not free.

FIU’s Twitter page responded that lowering the fee would require the help of student government leadership.

“I plan on meeting with officials from the Department of Parking and Transportation to discuss any potential avenues for lowering the shuttle bus fee,” said Borrero.

While further word on this issue develops, an SGC-MMC representative works on adding an academic program to the University’s offerings.

“I contacted Phillip Church, who’s an associate professor in the Department of Theatre, in an effort to continue my pursuit of a film minor,” said finance chair and CARTA Senator Tomas Alcala.

According to Alcala, the measure was pursued previously until the senators involved reached a roadblock with administration.

“I’ll be working on it more heavily during the fall, but this is to get it initiated,” Alcala said. “I’ll be meeting with [Professor Church] to see where we can go from here.”

Applications for Arts & Sciences, at-large and public health and social work senators will be open the first and second weeks of the fall term for all students.

–news@fiusm.com