By Jaime Hoerbelt

Legislation was passed on Tuesday to amend the Student Government Association constitution and change the guidelines for the role of parliamentarian.

In response to previous issues in SGA, Senator and Fundraising Committee Chairman Carlos Cruz proposed The 11th Hour Parliamentarian Modification Act. The act restricts the parliamentarian’s role in the senate, which was to advise senators of proper procedure according to Robert’s Rules of Order and the SGA constitution. Previously, the parliamentarian had to be a member of the SGA Rules Committee but could also serve on other committees. The new legislation amends the constitution so the parliamentarian may not serve on additional committees. The act also states, “The parliamentarian must remain neutral. He or she may not engage in debate, make motions, amendments or propose legislation in the Student Government Association senate meetings.” In order to remain neutral and unbiased when advising senators, the parliamentarian cannot serve as a voting member of the senate or judicial panel. The SGA president appoints the parliamentarian, who cannot be a member of the senate in addition to holding the position.

Previously, there was an attempt to keep the parliamentarian as neutral as possible with The Parliamentarian Neutering Act, which took away the parliamentarian’s speaking rights in the senate.

“The parliamentarian never really had a voice in the senate before this legislation. The fact that there is a change doesn’t change the fact that he can’t have a voice,” Brent Weitzberg, SGA President, said.

Last year’s senate had no parliamentarian at all. The immediate past president, Peter DiSilvio, felt that a parliamentarian was not necessary and had too much opportunity to abuse power and push his or her own agenda. DiSilvio declined to appoint someone to the position.

Also during Tuesday’s senate meeting, a resolution was passed to urge Lackmann Food Services to tune the radio system in the Student Center to WRHU, the University’s station. Cruz plans to meet with the University and Lackmann Food Services to implement this resolution.

Previous initiatives to have WRHU played in the Student Center were unsuccessful. Lackmann has said it prefers music to having talk radio on during the day while students are buying food.

There was some debate among senators as to the times WRHU should be played, but the issue was resolved by leaving it up to Lackmann and the University to decide when to air which station.