Student Government Association welcomed a new parliamentarian and discussed funding fulfillment errors in its first meeting of the semester on Monday.

Treasurer Justin Jacobs shared student government is accepting funding requests from student organizations.

After the fall semester, SGA reported an available funding balance of $44,727. On Dec. 4, SGA reported this balance in two accounts: student organizations and discretionary.

Jacobs said student organization funding requests for conference travel have been reviewed and processed incorrectly in the past.

Rolwing confirmed SGA previously used the discretionary funding account balance to fulfill conference travel funding requests.

He also said the student organization account balance should only be used for events hosted on campus by Southeast student organizations.

Jacobs suggested student government have an account strictly for the funding of student conference travel.

“Student organizations that request funding to travel to a conference should receive their funding from an account strictly for conference travel, not the discretionary funding account or the student organization account,” Jacobs said.

All members unanimously voted in favor of this resolution.

SGA President Matt Rolwing announced Andrew Marlar resigned from his position as parliamentarian and By-Law Revision Committee chairman at the end of the fall semester.

A common responsibility of the senate parliamentarian is to review current by-laws and any proposed revisions, according to Student Government By-Laws Sec. 302 No.12. The parliamentarian also leads the By-Law Revision Committee.

Rolwing appointed Sen. Anna Carpenter as parliamentarian. Carpenter joined the senate at the start of fall semester as a First-Year Senator.

Carpenter shared plans to communicate with student leaders about the clarity of the current by-laws, of which she said some may be difficult to understand.

“Not all of the current by-laws are unclear, however, there are a few by-laws that can be confusing, but my committee and I will be working this semester on updating them,” Carpenter said.

Carpenter said it is important to update the by-laws so senators know their duties as leaders within SGA.

The meeting then went into closed session and when they returned, Carpenter was sworn in as Parliamentarian and By-Law Revision Committee chairwoman.

SGA holds weekly open meetings Mondays at 8 p.m. in the University Center.