Student Court appointments on hold

By D. Lynn Bond
The Collegian

The Associated Students senate has decided not to appoint Student Court justices to hear an appeal from three of its own senators.

Last week Senators Katie Yeffa, Simon Haeder, and Stephen Trembley appealed to the student court after a decision was made to fund the African History Month Organization even though the group’s application was turned in late.

Yeffa said the senators opposed are not trying to make a statement, but instead to enforce policy.

“We have the right and it exists on paper. But if we strongly disagree with the senate and think it’s a violation of the by-laws, we have the right to appeal to the Student Court,” Yeffa said.

The student court has yet to become operational as no justices have been appointed or approved by the senate.

Two motions by Senator Trembley that would have required President Jennifer Reimer to nominate justices in the next two weeks were defeated by the senate.

Changes have been made to the AS by-laws concerning the student court that have yet to be approved by President Welty. Some senators said nominating justices to the student court now, under the old by-laws, would be counter-productive.

“I don’t think this is something we need to rush,” Senator Brent Hansen said. “This is something that definitely needs thought put into it, and needs to be looked at from all aspects.”

Under the current by-laws the Student Court has two weeks to hear cases brought to it by members of AS. There will not be justices appointed before that two week deadline passes for the Senators Yeffa, Haeder, and Trembley’s appeal.

AS President Reimer said she intends to nominate justices to the student court upon the approval of the changes to the by-laws and advertisement of the positions.

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