SGA Officers Veto Homecoming Queen Idea

Creator

Mitchell Quarles

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Creation Date

9-29-1994

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College Heights Herald article regarding SGA's proposal to nominate a homecoming queen candidate.

The Student Government Association has changed its mind and will not back a Homecoming Queen candidate.

In a special meeting on Monday, the executive council, which consists of the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and the public relations director, vetoed a bill that would have let SGA nominate and financially support a member of SGA in the Homecoming Queen competition.

SGA didn't notify the public of the executive council meeting.

"It was called in less than 24 hours, and we didn't have time," said SGA President Rob Evans, an Owensboro senior.

The veto came after the executive council passed the bill last week.

"We had gotten input from higher-ups that advised us to rethink our decision, and we did," said Vice President Tara Higdon, a Slaughters junior.

Evans and Higdon would not say who the higher-ups were.

"They didn't see it as a conflict of interest but though the general student population would," Higdon said.

Some Western students agreed with SGA's decision to veto the bill. The money would have come from its $9,850 programs budget, which receives funding from student fees.

"I think they made the right decision, because they are responsible to what the majority of the students want, and that's not to foot the bill for a candidate that they chose," Glasgow senior Lisa Hunley said.

Morgantown sophomore Yetta Meador said she didn't see the point in the legislation from the beginning.

"It would have been a waste of money because there wouldn't be any benefit," Meador said.

Evans said he understood why people could think the bill represented a conflict of interest.

"We just wanted to let people know that we are a student organization by supporting a candidate like everyone else," he said.

Bonnie Newton, the main author of the bill, said she supports the executive council's veto.

"With all the talk surrounding the bill, our candidate probably wouldn't have gotten more than 10 votes anyway," said Newton, a Campbellsville sophomore.