Senators Daniel Pitts and Benjamin Pafford submitted Resolution No. 18 at the Student Government Association meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 19, to refund and advertise in The All State for the 2014-2015 academic year.
The SGA passed Act No. 2 in a meeting on Wednesday, May 1, 2013., which took action to “withhold all funding for The All State for an entire academic year because of issues that have happened this past semester.”
An editorial piece was published during the spring 2013 semester criticizing the SGA for lack of action during the semester.
Reporters from The All State
covered the SGA at the beginning of the semester, but their presence at meetings declined as the semester progressed.
Act No. 2 said The All State “published non factual information about SGA because of the lack of attendance at SGA meetings.”
Sponsors of the act were current SGA Vice President Jessi Dillingham and Senator James de Moss. During the May 2013 meeting, Dillingham said she felt there were other ways to advertise to the student body.
The SGA has been since advertising through social media, in print format and through the SGA website.
De Moss said there was potential negative impact from the bill, “but the bottom line is that we are professionals, and we can handle the situation professionally.”
De Moss also said the defunding would just be for one academic year and “it would be a show of [SGA’s] abilities.”
During the meeting, Senator Chris Tablack said he “was upset with the article,” but had second thoughts.
Tablack said every person he spoke to about advertising said passing the act would be a bad move. “It has the potential to make SGA look negative,” Tablack said.
However, Tablack said SGA funding of The All State was “a poor use of funds.” Act No. 2 passed unanimously with two abstentions.
The proposed bill for the current semester says The All State “maintains a consistent student readership of approximately 1,500 copies,” and has “increased its web circulation more than 84 percent.”
The bill focuses on “alumni awareness of campus activities,” which will, according to the bill, result in “greater alumni giving.”
Upon passage of the resolution, the SGA will negotiate a contract for advertising in The All State “based on the precedent set by previous such contracts.”
The resolution comes with one stipulation: A negotiated percent of advertising funds given to The All State will be “earmarked for the purpose of increasing alumni readership.”
If the bill passes, it will “go into effect immediately.” Funding, according to the resolution, will be reinstated by the fall 2014 semester.
The resolution will be debated during old business in the SGA meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
During old business, John Moseley, former communications professor, was given the Distinguished Faculty Award through a vote.
During executive council reports, SGA Executive Secretary Daniel Anderson reported the SGA has posted multiple “no smoking” signs across campus. “This is one of the things we’re doing to resolve this issue,” Anderson said.
SGA Vice President Jessi Dillingham said she has held interviews with a few candidates to fill the vacant freshman seat.
Dillingham also told senators she must appoint standing committees by Saturday, March 1.
SGA Chief Justice Kelsey Smith reminded senators that Senate and Executive Council applications are due Wednesday, March 19.
Rainier told senators many “great candidates” interviewed for the Tennessee Board of Regents / Tennessee Higher Education Commission positions to represent APSU. The Executive Council decided to send Daniel Pitts (TBR) and Daniel Anderson (THEC).
Rainier led a vote on whether the SGA would support the movement by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga against the recent bill passed through the state legislature prohibiting student funds to pay for guest speakers at public higher-education institutions.
The SGA senate voted to promote a petition against the state senate bill, 2493. TAS
