In years past, the Student Government Association Student Senate has worked to ensure a quality academic and social environment for its student population.

The 42nd Legislative Assembly aims to become even more effective by empowering the student body, especially in regards to their constitutional rights.  

As stated in the Constitution, the Student Senate is the official law-making body for the campus of North Carolina A& T and is composed of elected student body representatives, which single handedly allows it to be the most powerful entity of student government. 

Authorized in the Constitution, SGA is granted the ability to “assist the faculty and administrative officers in the development of programs and policies in matters affecting academic question, student discipline and the general welfare of the A&T Community.”

By doing so, the Chancellor and University’s Board of Trustees have committed to working with the Student Senate so that all legislation and amendments positively reflect the needs of the university.

“The Senate has the ability to write things into existence, forever leaving a positive mark,” said Vice President of Internal Affairs, Valerie Dudley.

Because of that direct handle on change, Dudley feels the Senate can successfully improve prominent student concerns such as more money for financial aid, the quality of professors, the quality of food in the cafeteria, and the relationship with alumni so that students can obtain jobs after graduation.

To ensure a diverse mixture, Senators are derived from all academic disciplines and are housed in the district of his or her prospective school or college.

Each term is one academic school year, and he or she can serve no more than two years. Senators are required to serve on one of 6 committees: finance, judicial and review, rules, ways and means, campus life, and academic affairs, preferably one that relates to their major.

A special committee can also be formed if a situation arises that does not fit within the boundaries of the established committees.

Both the full senate and the smaller committees convene during bi-monthly meetings on alternating weeks, meaning that senators meet at least once a week.      

Unfortunately, whatever plans Dudley and the eight spring-elected senators may have on their personal agendas, as of now, are placed on hold until after fall elections, as there are still 40 seats open and the Constitution states the Senate cannot assemble until each seat is filled.

Because of this setback, the Senate Oath and the training sessions will not occur until sometime in October. 

The Senate has an overall lack of visibility on campus.  “[Students] don’t know what senate is, what it does, or what its benefits are because in the past [the Senators] have not put themselves out there to be seen, [as well] as their accomplishments have not been known,” says Dudley.

The 41th Legislature, for example, was described as “a large group of quality people with a good vision under excellent leadership with Jarron Jones, [however] as the year progressed their attention left.” 

“I do not believe the Senate has lost its power, but instead it has not been [fully] utilized,” says Mitchell Brown, Senator for the 2nd District (School of Business and Economics).

“No one understands what it does or how great a leadership opportunity it can be, so until Senate does something to get the [student body] excited, [the students] will not show up to take part.”

In addition, there has to be some type of reform among the Senators themselves.

In order to become effective, according to Raymond Beamon, former Senator for District 1 (College of Arts and Sciences), each Senator needs to proceed with “high expectations and no excuses” and work hard to have a “full, accurate understanding of the Constitution”.

Fortunately, these are just the improvements expected to come during this current term. “I plan to [advocate] visibility so the [students] can know who we are and see we are doing our job, accountability so the other senators can know the standards that they are to hold each other as well as themselves, and consistency because when we all are on the same page at the same time, we can successfully achieve the same goal,” says Brown.

However, if needed, “the Senators will be encouraged to exercise their power of impeachment” says Dudley.

The goal is to move forward and if the weakest link is continuously holding something back, Dudley feels he or she should be removed constitutionally.

Hopefully, those measurements will not need to be taken, and this year’s Legislative Assembly will continue to keep the students in mind and do everything in their power to add even greater things to the NC A&T SU Student Senate list of accomplishments.

The newest addition being the installation of Mr. A&T and the class kings, which was proposed three years ago during the Moody Administration with Vice President of Internal Affairs Marvin Jones.

• LaRia Land