SGA President Chris Clemente sat down with Knight News to talk about a controversial amendment passed by the Board of Trustees on Thursday.
Topics included an email sent between high-ranking members of the UCF administration suggesting there may have been an attempt to persuade Clemente how to vote, and why he submitted a revision to the amendment that may have saved SGA’s autonomy.
Before the vote, Clemente drafted and presented a revision to the amendment that eliminated the most controversial portion.
The wording originally stated UCF Senate may “propose” to the Board of Trustees how the Activity and Service Fee budget is spent. The regulation that was amended mandated that Senate “determine” how it is spent.
Clemente’s revision brought the word “determine” back, clarifying that the Senate may determine the “allocation and expenditure” of the budget.
However, questions still remain about whether SGA is truly independent following the passing of the amendment, and whether it is legal in the first place.
One passage in question is”Student Government must operate with the recognition that the ultimate decision making authority for University affairs rests with the University’s Board of Trustees, President or their designees.”
Watch the full interview with Clemente above.
