by Joe Harris
senior editor

The start of winter semester has brought no change as far as the leadership of the Student Government Association is concerned, and as a result the organization has no clear cut goals or programming planned for the upcoming semester.

Steve Wolfe, acting SGA president, said April elections are the only thing that is a priority for him.

"We've got to work on the April elections," Wolfe said. "Basically, I'd really like to not say anything until the executive committee meets."

Wolfe said he has tried to arrange a meeting of the executive committee through e-mail, but none of his messages have been returned. Wolfe said a meeting of SGA's executive committee would occur when he is able to contact some of the members.

Wolfe said in the meantime, issues like the interim student court would remain on the table. Wolfe also said Student Affairs has stepped in as far as the student court is concerned.

G. Gary Grace, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, said Student Affairs has traditionally served in an advising capacity to the student court in the parking appeals process, but denies that Student Affairs has taken over the student court.

"I think what Joanne Bocci [Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs] and I have encouraged Steve Bartok [chief justice of the student court] to do is to not let the dysfunctional situation of the student government cause the student court to stop dead in its tracks," Grace said. "They can still continue to operate and there's no prohibition to operate. Unless there is some constitutional issue or bylaw, they can invent their own process as long as its not in violation to any standing rule."

Wolfe also said the SGA's priorities would be thrown further into the air if embattled SGA President Darwin Butler returns.

Butler has not been in office or on campus since campus police escorted him from his office in October for work release violations. Butler was on work release since pleading guilty to credit card theft charges in St. Louis county in April. The Current has confirmed that Butler registered for classes for the winter semester through telephone registration, but he is still being held in St. Louis county pending word from Nevada on possible parole violations there.

D. Mike Bauer, SGA chair, said he has tried to contact Butler but his telephone calls were not returned.

"I do know for a fact that (Butler) is registered this semester and somebody put a typewritten note on the SGA office door about a week ago and it was signed 'D.B.,'" Bauer said. "So we didn't really put a lot of stock in that, anybody could have put that up there."

Bauer said he has three things he would like to see SGA take care of this semester, including addressing the issue of the interim student court.

"Get the Darwin Butler thing worked out, good or bad, one way or the other, that will be our first priority," Bauer said. "Secondly, we've got to get the student court together. We've been for over a semester with an interim student court and Steve Bartok is getting his tail worked off. Three, we need to do some programming. We've got a $40,000 budget that's just been sitting there. We haven't done anything with it all year."

Wolfe said a date for the SGA January meeting has not yet been confirmed. Wolfe said Jan. 20 is the date he is shooting for and at that meeting a consensus date for the rest of this semester's SGA meetings will be decided.