SGB endorsing support, not supporting endorsement

Student Government Board returned to business as usual at last night’s meeting, without the… Student Government Board returned to business as usual at last night’s meeting, without the heated exchanges that have enlivened their conference room for the past few weeks.’ However, board member Perry Servedio peacefully dissented with his fellow members when they approved of a new elections code that will allow current board members to speak on the behalf of SGB candidates at endorsement meetings. While the code now allows board members to speak on behalf of candidates, it still does not allow them to officially endorse candidates for SGB.’ But it does delete five words ‘mdash; ‘at an endorsement interview or’ ‘mdash; that Servedio said were important. ‘This change is deleting five words out of the election code that have been there for many, many years,’ he said. ‘This seems like fixing something that isn’t broken.’ President Sumter Link said that board members had attended endorsement meetings with student organizations since before he was on board despite the rule. He said no student has ever filed a complaint with the SGB elections or judicial committee about a board member speaking on behalf of a slate. Board member Ryan Very said he agreed with the new code. ‘SGB candidates have the right to speak to any organization about an endorsement,’ said Very. Board member Lacee Ecker said that endorsement meetings don’t count as official SGB work, such as a public meeting. Servedio said he was ‘OK with it either way,’ but that he thought without the endorsement interview rule, board members might actively campaign with slates.’ ‘ ‘ Also for this year, aspiring SGB members may only post paper flyers during the week leading up to election day. SGB Notes Panther Wrestling Club president Jacob Brown attended the meeting to protest the board’s denial of $30 for a bucket and mop. He said that a past board approved $200 for a ‘glorified Swiffer’ to clean the mats. Brown said dirty mats could cause skin diseases. Board member Ryan Haddad defended the board’s decision, because other organizations could request cleaning supplies, too. ‘SGB can’t give out mops and buckets without going down a slippery slope,’ he said.