The student senate deemed a resolution that would establish a senate judiciary committee for the purpose of evaluating nominees to the student supreme court emergency legislation at Wednesday’s meeting.

Following a period of extensive discussion, the resolution ultimately failed by a vote of 11-30-0.

Author Matthew Pickham, chair of the tuition and fee review committee, defended the proposal on the grounds that a committee specifically dedicated toward conducting a more thorough and expansive interview that would enable senate members to make informed decisions when voting on the candidates.

“It’s actually kind of a follow-up to what I saw was a lackluster effort last semester,” Pickham said. “It would allow us to make a recommendation to the senate prior to the question-and-answer period before the vote.”

Opponents of the resolution expressed concern that the construction of the committee would undermine the judgment of student body president Michelle Murphy, who is initially responsible for interviewing the candidates and narrowing the applicant pool down to the few individuals she feels are best qualified.

Once Murphy designates the final candidates, they are invited to appear before the student senate to submit to a question-and-answer period preceding the vote.

“I play such a tiny role now, don’t I?” Murphy said. “Is there even any point in me writing the legislation?”

Kendall Jackson, co-chair of the internal affairs committee, questioned the necessity of the subsequent interview process in agreement with Murphy, as he feels that the two original interviews suffice in helping to determine the competence of the candidates.

“I find this pointless because, if the justices are overseeing the senators, how come we’re not going through the same process as they are?” Jackson inquired. “I am 110 percent, that’s how confident I am, that this is power hunger.”

Conversely, Jason Sandidge, chair of the university development and recycling committee, argued in favor of the resolution and motioned to treat it as emergency legislation.

He expressed a belief that multiple minds are better than one mind in regards to appointing the people who examine the constitutionality of the student senate’s actions.

“I’m in dire support of this bill,” Sandidge said. “If the candidates have a desire to serve, they won’t bypass this opportunity. If each of us really wanted to sit at this table that bad, we would do whatever it takes to get there, even if it means sitting in the frigid cold to poll Eastern.”

The main contention expressed by senate member Aaron Wiessing was that the third subsequent interview process conducted by the committee would be an unnecessary step in the process.

“Why don’t we just cut out the middleman?” Wiessing inquired.

He motioned to amend Article IV of the bill under “Powers and Duties” to exclude the first clause, along with letter “A.”

This amendment would have removed the reviewing and evaluating power of the judiciary review committee, leaving it with the sole responsibility of investigating issues of constitutionality on behalf of the senate.

Proponents of the resolution argued that this action would contradict the essential purpose of the committee, and the amendment failed by a vote of 8-15-1.

Mark Olendzki, student vice president of student affairs, assisted Pickham in constructing the resolution and described the intent of the committee as conducive to producing an adequate level of scrutiny to prepare senate members to make informed decisions.

“The supreme court is unique in that they have the final say on the student body constitution,” Olendzki said. “Adding more scrutiny to the process, I don’t see the harm in that.”

Before voting on the emergency legislation, senate member DeMarlon Brown expressed concern that the senate may be acting too quickly in determining the decision.

“I feel like this is a rushed vote,” Brown said. “Why should we set up an extra committee meant to review the candidates when we won’t take the time to make sure that this bill is flaw-free?”

In other news:

The student senate approved a resolution for a line-item transfer in the amount of $398 to cover travel and lodging expenses for a weekend conference at the Illinois Board of High Education Student Advisory Committee Conference.

A resolution to post shuttle bus schedules and maps in bus shelters across campus, as well as by the Office of Student Affairs, was also approved.

The student senate approved a resolution to support a relief fund that will benefit Haiti, which will include activities such as 3-on-3 basketball and a dodge ball tournament at 1 p.m. on Jan. 25 in the McAfee Gymnasium.

Erica Whelan can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected]