Motion to rearrange orders of business failed

SESP senior Ivy LeTourneau motioned to change the order of business to bring the two bills — group executive accountability and gender protection — in front of B-status funding. A vote of two-thirds of the Senate would be needed. The motion failed.

LeTourneau said it would be better to change the order of business because in previous years business after funding "kind of just gets shoved through and not properly considered."

Executive Vice President Matt Bogusz asked for a show of hands to see how many student group leaders were there to "protect student funding."

With one of the busiest meeting of the year, a substantial amount of hands went up.

"It was set to be first on the docket," the Weinberg junior said. "We hope to make a quick process ... Student groups are just waiting to talk about funding."


—ALICE TRUONG

Financial Vice President selection committee

Neal Sales-Griffin has experience as a leader with International Student Business Education. He says he has good judgment, he can manage, but none of those skills he can list on a resume can really explain why he’s best for the job.

“The most important thing is passion,” the SESP junior said, “passion for ASG, for Northwestern.”

Five individuals in the Associated Student Government have been nominated for the financial vice president selection committee: Weinberg junior Aamna Anwer, SESP junior Neal Sales-Griffin, Weinberg junior Will Upton, Weinberg junior Allison Cook and SESP senior Ivy LeTourneau. Weinberg sophomore Samir Pendse was nominated but declined, saying he didn't have enough time to dedicate to the job, which would require about five hours per week, according to current Financial Vice President Aneesa Arshad, a SESP senior.

Sales, a SESP junior, has been elected by the ASG senate to the position, making him one of six members to vote on the new financial vice president.

Neal Sales-Griffin has experience as a leader with International Student Business Education. He says he has good judgment, he can manage, but none of those skills he can list on a resume can really explain why he’s best for the job.
“The most important thing is passion,” the SESP junior said, “passion for ASG, for Northwestern.”

"We just want good people," Sales said. "We want good passionate people making good judgment."


—ALICE TRUONG

Debating, passing the Jena 6 bill

With a 75 percent majority, the Free the Jena 6 bill was passed despite about a half hour of debate and an attempt to table the bill. The bill was originally scheduled for 15 minutes of debate.

Many senators have been vocal about their stance on this bill.

Some question the facts that have been presented.

"The whole story isn't being told," Joe Sobecki said. "There are two stories to this."

In his examples, he brought up the reported possibility that the nooses hanging off the tree in Jena, La. were not in fact nooses but rope hung up by a rodeo club.

Other senators who have spoken up against the bill sponsored by Weinberg sophomore Brittany Smith as For Members Only senator have argued the issue shouldn't involve the university.

"The purpose of the resolution is to make a powerful statement," said Weinberg sophomore Jesse Yang who presented the bill.

Ivy LeTourneau who described herself as distanced from the Jena 6 incident as "a white girl from Minnesota" motioned to table the bill because she didn't think it was ASG's role to give voice to the issue.

"We shouldn't even be considering politically weighted bills in ASG," the SESP senior said. "I don't think ASG should be used as a megaphone for groups' message."

She said if the NU Coalition to Free the Jena 6 were an ASG-recognized group and presented the bill, the issue would have more weight.

The motion didn't gain the majority needed for it to be tabled. The bill was then voted on, and with a majority, it was passed.

"I'm really excited," Smith said. "I felt good ASG can make that kind of statement ... It's so blatantly clear it's racial injustice."

FMO President Mark Crain said Howard University, a historically black college, had condemned the outcome of the Jena 6, and that Northwestern — what he considered a "historically white institution" with a 6 percent black population — should follow Howard's lead.

He said the bill acted as a good way for students to get their voices heard.

"I think tonight students spoke out against injustice," the Weinberg junior said.

—ALICE TRUONG