On Friday, Sept. 21, Eric Moore, a sophomore senator for the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA), proposed a change to the USGA constitution. The proposed changes concerned regulations for students running for positions in USGA.

Currently, senators, executive board members and house members, along with other USGA recognized student organization (RSO) representatives, are all full-time university students. According to Article V sub-sections 1a and 2a, students must be enrolled with 12 credits in order to run for an elected position. However,  Moore and others are trying to change the credit count. This change, although small, would allow part-time day students the opportunity to represent themselves in USGA.

During the Friday (Sept. 28) meeting, USGA postponed voting on the bill until a member from the new task force presents their findings to them. The task force includes Eric Moore, Olivia Acevedo, Greg Overend, Rebecca Johnson, Joan Maloney, Barbara Conrou and Wayne Cutucci.When they give their presentation the bill will be brought to a vote in the house and senate. The Task Force will meet on Oct. 8 to discuss the bill and any actions/proceedings that should be taken.

“USGA is the Undergraduate Student Association, not the Full Time Undergraduate Student Association,” said senator Kimberlee Plude in her testimony for the bill.

Not all senators agree with the bill. Junior business management major Donald Willyard said he feels that they might be “doing more harm, than doing more good,” because the bill, though it doesn’t  take effect immediately, has the potential of creating problems, he said.

“The bill itself is not amendable, which means what was put on the board right there is the only thing we can vote on and in order to change any type of wording within that bill we have to vote it down, represent it, go through the discussion again, table it for a week, go through discussion again and then vote on it,” said Willyard.

Along with this bill, a petition was circulated around campus to allow part-time students into USGA. The petition has since received 403 student signatures.

The debate has surfaced over part-time and full-time students. There has been a good amount of tension behind the situation.

“If that bill was specific to only day-time students, it would definitely be a totally different conversation because we wouldn’t be affecting the Evening Student Council and their positions,” said USGA senator Jonathan Matyasich.

CORRECTION: The print version of this story stated that Greg Overend was helping to change the credit requirement from 12 to three.