Jay Kenworthy, Chief Reporter
Student Senate began to fill seats Wednesday, two weeks after the Manship Slate took office. Six senators, the parliamentarian and the president pro-tempore were appointed at the weekly Senate meeting.
Interfraternity Council president and former parliamentarian Ben Tietz was elected president pro-tempore, beating the other nominee, Justin Hinga, by a 23-2 vote.
President pro-tempore is considered the most powerful position in Student Senate. The president pro-tempore assigns senators to committees and directs legislation after it passes through Student Senate. The pro-tempore also chairs the Student Senate finance committee and has a seat on University Senate.
Tietz said his goal for the Senate is to turn out more legislation than last term. He said that the number of bills should not interfere with the effectiveness, though.
"I believe that we can do quality and quantity at the same time if it is done correctly," Tietz said.
Six senators were also appointed Wednesday. One familiar name was missing, however. Chris Borkowski, former senator and current student representative on the Indian Commission for Higher Education, was denied a seat on the Senate by the credentials board.
Credentials board chairwoman Lauren Mellinger said that Borkowski had falsities on his application and failed to meet the board's standards. Borkowski allegedly claimed false membership in two organizations -- Interfraternity Council and Spectrum. He also allegedly reported an incorrect grade point average.
Borkowski denied that claim, saying there were no falsities.
Borkowski said the wrong GPA appeared on his Degree Analysis Progress Report. When SGA adviser Kay Bales went to confirm the number, she found a discrepancy, Borkowski said.
Mellinger also said Borkowski did not meet some of the guidelines the credentials board set forth. She said Borkowski had a poor attendance record, did not represent the best interests of students and did not show respect toward other senators.
"I felt like Chris was in it for himself rather than the student body," Mellinger said.
Borkowski dismissed those evaluations as incorrect; he had a theory of his own as to why he wasn't approved as a senator.
"The reason, it seems, that I was denied is that I was going to run for pro-tempore against Ben Tietz," Borkowski said.
Mellinger said that theory is obviously flawed.
"I had no idea that he was going to (run for pro-tempore)," she said. "He told me that, but it was after I had already made my decision."
Tietz, who also sits on the credentials board, said he did not know of Borkowski's intent to run either.
As for the parliamentarian position, Liz Stephen was appointed. The parliamentarian is the authority on the legality of Student Senate actions.
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