Darwin Butler

by Cory Blackwood
staff editor

While there were no open meetings in the Student Government Association over the summer, executive meetings were held and various matters have been brought into view for the upcoming academic year.

Darwin Butler, the SGA president, has said that a more diverse population needs to be involved in student government and a treasurer needs to be elected for the fall semester. Over the summer Jackie Anderson was the treasurer, but at the beginning of the semester she said she would leave to head the University Program Board. As of the fall 1999 semester the SGA has no treasurer.

According to the minutes of the July 11 executive meeting, Butler also had an objective to amend the student conduct code so as to sanction discriminatory behavior, feeling that the code protects the University but not individuals. Butler said he wants to see to see such behavior punishable by sanction, but nothing specific was suggested.

In addition to the meetings held over the summer, a press conference was held by the SGA. At the time of the press conference Carrie Mowen, the vice-president of the SGA, had not submitted any resignation in writing, but it was noted that she would be resigning at the beginning of the semester.

"As far as I know, Lester Owens had announced his candidacy for vice-president before Carrie had put anything in writing," said Michael Rankins, the former vice-president and current graduate school representative.

Rankins also had an explanation for his absence at the executive meetings held during the summer.

"To the best of my knowledge," Rankins said, "I was not invited."

Butler began the Aug. 5 executive meeting by saying he felt that personal differences are getting in the way of SGA productivity, as were noted in the minutes of the meeting. This can be reflected by the current shortage of filled SGA positions.

Other points brought up by Butler in the meetings were that certain fees should be optional, such as the computing fee and the health services fee. While the fees have always been a part of required billing at UM-St. Louis, Butler said that the computing fee should be charged on a per use basis. Butler said his main concern with the computing fee is to assure students that they were not paying for administrative usage of computers.