The passage of a bill changing parts of the finance committee chapter of the Govertment of the Student Body bylaws prompted a senator to resign from his position on rules committee.

Charles Wakefield, GSB senator and senior in computer engineering, said he thought the bill gave the finance committee too much power.

“It gives a lot of authority to the finance committee that right now they don’t necessarily have,” he said.

However, Ryan Myers, finance director and senior in accounting, said the bill was addressing problems that arose during regular allocations over the past few years.

“This tightens the rules,” he said.

Timothy Reineke, GSB senator and junior in political science, said because most people weren’t familiar with the current finance bylaws, he moved to postpone the bill indefinitely so the senate could revisit the bill in the fall after reviewing those bylaws.

Michelle Bohan, GSB senator and graduate student in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology in agriculture, said she agreed with postponing the bill so that the senate could make a more informed decision.

Myers said he didn’t care whether the bill was passed, but that it needed to be voted on this semester. He said he didn’t want to worry about the finance committee learning new rules in the fall, and concentrate on its other duties.

“I will not support this bill in the fall,” he said.

Paul Keppy, GSB vice speaker and sophomore in political science, said he didn’t believe the bill should be postponed, and even if it was, the senate had all week to become familiar with the current bylaws and might not actually become familiar with the current rules, even with extension.

“This senate tends to forget things,” he said.

After there was concern about the power for finance committee to not allow a bill to make it all to the way to senate, an amendment was proposed by Rachel Allen, GSB senator and senior in political science, to inform the senate about all the bills they decided not to pass through to senate. This was passed.

Wakefield proposed an amendment that would have removed the line in which it gave the power to the finance committee to amend any financial legislation that came before them to make it in accordance to GSB law and policy. Wakefield said this was the job of the rules committee and should not be the responsibility of the finance committee. He said it went against the constitution for this reason.

Some senators agreed.

Myers said it was necessary to keep it in because it would delay the bill by at least a week if it had to be sent back to rules committee.ÿIt was suggested the finance committee pass the bill through to senate with suggested amendments that would make it legal. However, Myers said he could not do this because it would be grounds for his impeachment if he sent through illegal legislation.

The amendment failed and the bill as a whole passed. Because of the passage of the bill, Wakefield said during closing announcements he could no longer serve effectively on the rules committee and resigned from the committee. Reineke filled the vacancy.

At Wednesday night’s meeting, there was also a finance bill that was asking for about $200 for the Nepal Student Association for transportation to a conference. The group wanted its budget pulled during the regular allocations meeting but it was not and went to the senate in hopes of getting the funding. Without this money, the group would not be able to attend the conference.

Prachand Shrestha, president of the Nepal Student Association and graduate student in civil, construction and environmental engineering, said this conference is the biggest event of the year for the group.

After some debate, Myers said transportation was cut across the board during regular allocations, and unless there was a special circumstance, the passage of this bill would be saying that all the groups cut should get their money back.

“If there is no special circumstance, pleases vote this down,” he said

Wakefield agreed with Myers. He said he seconded the bill only because he thought the group should have the opportunity to give its case to the senate.

“Every group got cut,” he said.

Alden Peterson, GSB senator and sophomore in industrial engineering, said it would set a “dangerous precedent” and a lot of groups that were cut in regulars would be coming to the senate asking for money.

“I just think that would be situation we do not want to be in,” he said.

The bill was voted down, 19-8-0.

There was also a bill requesting almost $2,700 to purchase a game server for Game Renegades, a student group on campus. The group had been cut during regular allocations because it had not been in existence long enough.ÿ However, come Sept. 18, the group will have existed for a year and be eligible for funding.

After many senators expressed concern about allocating this much money to such a young group, it was tabled until the fall.

The senate also passed a resolution of solidarity in response to the Virginia Tech shootings that took place earlier this week. A copy of the resolution, along with a letter written by Brian Phillips, GSB president and junior in political science, will be sent to Virginia Tech.