By Amanda Falzon

After hours of debate on Tuesday night, the Student Government Association voted and passed 12 total referenda that will be seen on the ballot for undergraduate students to vote on during SGA elections next week.

The only two referenda that were not passed proposed picturing DC Comics characters Booster Gold and Blue Beetle as mascots for a leadership program sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs called the Blue and Gold Initiative, and which would be advertised on the side of all the Blue Beetle Buses at the University. These two referenda garnered the most controversy. There was concern that the proposal would not be taken seriously if it were passed.

The 12 referenda that were approved passed with relative ease. Among the 11 passed proposals, those that addressed a smoking policy, the function of the Rathskeller and the G.P.A. qualification to run for president and vice president of SGA were also noteworthy.

The smoking proposal was brought to the table by sophomore Julia Matias. She requested that any individual smoking on campus should be prohibited from doing so within 25 feet of any entrance or window to all University-controlled buildings or facilities.

However, University senate member and graduate school student, Vincent Perniciaro, requested a similar proposal, which amended Matias’. In his proposal, Perniciaro stated that there should be a 20-foot smoking buffer zone rather than Matias’ 25-foot buffer. He also claimed that they are still waiting to discuss the proposal with University President Stuart Rabinowitz.

“There was a rumor that Rabinowitz was going to veto it, but someone has tried to speak with the president to see what his objections are,” Perniciaro said. “We are still waiting to talk to him.”

A second referendum asked whether the Rathskeller should continue to be used as a hangout for Greek organizations. There was strong opposition to the original amendment from some senators because there is no standing rule prohibiting certain students from using the Rathskeller. According to SGA senate member Ashley Kowal, it had been rumored that the administration was considering changing it into a pizza parlor, but the rumor was false. However, Kowal wanted to know how the students felt about keeping the Rathskeller as it currently functions.

“On one side, it seems that fraternities and sororities wish to keep the Rathskeller as is,” Kowal said. “This referendum is a way for them to directly express their views to the administration for the future. On the other hand, I was wondering if the rest of the student body felt the Rathskeller should be changed.”

A third referendum that will be seen on the ballot asked if the student body thinks that the G.P.A. qualification for running for president or vice president of SGA should be lowered. Kowal brought this referendum to the table, again on neutral ground.

“Again, I tried to phrase this referendum as neutrally as possible, and I hope it will be received that way,” Kowal said. “I do not wish to campaign for or against this referendum, but rather let the students reflect their personal views in the way they vote.”

Kowal, as well as the majority of the senate, felt that the decision on changing the status of the G.P.A. qualification should be left up to the students, regardless of who is running on the ticket.

“Perhaps the students think the G.P.A. requirement is too high,” she said. “Since student government is supposed to represent the student body, I felt that the students should have a say in whether or not the senate is being fair in asking the president and vice president to maintain a 2.5 G.P.A.”

Although the referendum did pass, it was made clear that it has not changed the SGA’s constitution and the current policies remain as they were, nor does it specify what the G.P.A would be changed to.

Another referendum that was proposed by the rules committee and passed during the meeting was changing the hours of operation for the Student Center Café and the bookstore. The Student Center Café hours could be extended to 10 p.m. on Sunday to Thursday and 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday if the vote of the student body persuades the administration. The bookstore hours could also be extended to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Also passed were referenda proposing the naming of the third unispan after Keith Cerrato, a University student who was killed crossing Hempstead Turnpike in 2006, a student-to-student textbook buyback program, establishing an international English Honors Society, having a more visible recycling program, paying to use University facilities and allowing more than one news publication on campus.

According to Lisa Giunta, chairwoman of SGA’s rules committee, the referenda will be addressed by the 2007 SGA administration for the upcoming year. “If they receive a favorable vote, the incoming SGA can then bring it up to the necessary members of the administration,” Giunta said. The referenda will be opened to a student body vote via Blackboard on May 2 and 3.