A battery of legislation touted to improve non-greek student organizations highlighted last Thursday’s Student Government Association Senate meeting.

In a ramp-up to SGA elections in early April, nine pieces of legislation were brought up for consideration. All the legislation was passed by the Senate.

Four resolutions pertaining to student organizations were discussed during the meeting, all of which were proposed by the Campus Observation Committee. Sens. Kevin Anderson, Rachel Hammond and Laura Harber comprise the committee.

The central resolution passed in the student organizations package was to dissolve the position of Coordinator for Greek Life and Student Organizations, currently held by Louis Ragsdale, and recreate separate positions for greek affairs and student organization matters. The position was created in 2000, but according to the Campus Observation Committee’s resolution, the primary focus of the position has been greek life, leaving student organizations neglected.

The text of the resolution states that creating the new position of Coordinator for Student Organizations “would not result in an increase in student fees,” but rather the Student activities fee would be reallocated to fund the about $30,000 per year additional full-time position. Anderson said that extra money that is currently unspent will be used to pay for the position.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Katie High said that the $30,000 is not currently budgeted and would have to be reallocated to pay for the position. High did confirm that the funds would come from the Student activities fee, which generates about $500,000 annually.

“The list of things we’d like to do [with the Student activities fee] well exceeds $500,000. If we had loose money lying around, we wouldn’t be asking how to spend it,” High said.

Anderson said that splitting the job into two positions would better serve the student body. Anderson also said that fees would not be increased because non-budgeted “extra money” from Student Life would pay for the position.

“Student organizations have no go-to guy,” Anderson said. “Louis [Ragsdale] is so focused on greek life that student organizations get left out.”

Senate also voted to recommend that an area of Clement Hall be reserved for the sole use of student organizations. Under the resolution, an unused area of Clement will be cordoned off for desk space for different non-greek student organizations. According to the Academic Affairs Committee, the area would help produce a “more synergized, organized and productive student organization atmosphere.” Under the proposal, several walls would have to be removed to accommodate the office space. Anderson said the proposal was modeled after a similar concept at Texas A&M.

Anderson said that cost analysis will be done by other university agencies and that the source of the funds needed to pay for the renovations is unknown.

Some senators were reluctant to vote for the proposal, however.

Some said that the newly renovated Student Life Center should be used for student organizations, since the intended purpose of the Student Life Center was to house greek and student organizations. However, there is no free space available to house student organization offices at the facility, according to Hammond.

Sen. Jake Dunavant was the only dissenting vote on the matter.

Senate also voted to designate 180 mailboxes in the UC to student organizations in order to give them a permanent mailing address.

The resolution claims that “the current system for assigning UC mailboxes is unnecessary and wasteful,” and as a result, SGA recommends a more systematic approach.

Boxes 001 to 180 will be designated for student organizations, and boxes 181 through 2820 will be used for housing residents.

The final piece of legislation passed by Senate dedicated to student organizations is for erecting a monument honoring student organizations. The Campus Observation Committee claims, “A visual representation of the student organizations that the university offers would assist in informing and involving students on campus.” SGA plans to hold a competition to generate ideas for the monument, which will be erected between Crisp Hall and the library.

The wooden message board will be razed to accommodate the monument, and the monument will have places designated for each student organization to place announcements. Student Affairs will be charged with maintaining the monument.

Other legislation passed by SGA: