Student Government Tuesday Recap

UF Senate puts amendment on Spring ballot

The amendment will be voted on again after being overturned in summer

By Katelyn Newberg

Students will get the chance to vote on an amendment to the UF Constitution during Spring elections.

During Tuesday night’s Student Senate meeting, senators approved a bill that places an amendment on the ballot that will allow students to decide how many signatures are needed for student petitions. The amendment, if passed, will lower the percentage from 10 percent to 5 percent of the Student Body.

The amendment was previously in the UF Constitution and was voted on in Spring 2010, according to the bill authored by Senate President Jenny Clements. The UF Supreme Court released an opinion over summer overturning the original amendment.

Senate also approved four students for the Local Fee Committee. All but one of the students were nominated by UF Student Body President Susan Webster. Gabriella Larios is a returning member of the committee.

Larios, Ty Robare, Haley Smith and Ian Green will meet in October to set the limit for the activity and service fee, the athletic fee and the health fee, Webster said.  

Webster said her three nominees served on the Budget and Appropriations Committee, and she said she felt that made them qualified.  

“I think they would be good students to represent student interests,” Webster said. “They’re very well versed on how service fees work.”

Senate also approved funding for the Nepalese Student Association, which received $532. Senate approved $1,153.35 in funding for the Gator Guard Drill Team.

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UF Supreme Court sets procedures for student petitions

Petitioners will have the chance to defend position

By Caitlin Ostroff

The UF Supreme Court established procedures for reviewing Student Government petitions Tuesday night.

In the unanimous decision, the court decided to give 20 minutes for both the petitioner and the respondent when a petition is submitted. During this time, one person will be able to state the petition, answer questions from the court and set aside five of the 20 minutes for rebuttal if he or she chooses.

Only one person will be allowed to speak on behalf of the petition, said Chief Justice Christopher Tribbey. The first person who signs the petition will email the chief justice to say who the consul will be.

The court will only consider arguments concerning the petition, he said.

Currently, Global Vote has submitted two petitions regarding a Supreme Court decision from the summer to overturn four amendments that date back to 2008. When the petitions are reviewed next week, a representative from Global Vote will argue against UF SG Solicitor General Nick Smith.

Tribbey said he hasn’t heard whether Smith will be at the meeting.

Tyler Richards, a co-founder of Global Vote, said he was happy with the ruling.

“We came in wanting to argue on behalf of the thousands of students,” the 20-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering junior said. “Today, we did that.”

The Supreme Court will meet Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. in UF’s Levin College of Law, Room 285C.