Correction: The proposed tuition increase for resident and online students would be $300.50 and non-residents $400.50.

At the March 7 Student Government Association (SGA) meeting, a member brought an impeachment charge to committee members for ignoring a by-law to accelerate a Senate resignation. Price changes which raise in-state and lower out-of-state tuition were discussed as well.

The bylaw in question states after three absences from SGA meetings, a council member must resign. SGA Vice President Nolan Knupp said when SGA Holland College of Arts and Media Brecken Styles approached him about her obligation to a theater production that conflicted with SGA meetings, he met with the attendance committee to fill the absent seat quicker.

This was challenged by Holland College of Arts and Media senator Benji Arrigo, who is on the bylaw revision committee.

“You made Brecken [the] senator of the month,” Arrigo said. “And then you removed her from the Senate.”

Arrigo said he wanted to bring impeachment charges to the committee that voted to bypass the bylaw.

“We are letting exec do whatever they want. … If you can just, willy-nilly, go against what’s in [the bylaws] book, why do we even have it? Should I just throw it away?” Arrigo said.

Knupp answered he felt it would better serve the student body by filling the position rather than waiting three weeks.

STEM College senator Anna Carpenter, who is also on the bylaw revision committee, said she agreed with Knupp accelerating the process of removing a senator, even if she felt he went about it the wrong way. Carpenter stressed the importance of choosing members who will prioritize student government in order to fill seats and accomplish more tasks.

The members of SGA unanimously voted to approve Holland College of Arts and Media Kennedee Nash to be sworn in as a senator. Arrigo told her afterward about his call for impeachment around her selection, “That was not about you,” and congratulated her.

SGA President Layla Bouzihay reported highlights from her second budget review meeting, where tuition changes were made to attract more online students and adapt to lower overall enrollment.

She said enrollment rates were down only 15% from 2015 to 2020, but SEMO was only following the trend for Missouri schools. She said enrollment was “pretty good” compared to others.

She also pointed to a projected drop in high school graduates across 37 states, at 7% in MIssouri and 24% in Illinois. Since most SEMO students come from these states, she said “We are trying to figure out what to do about that.”

Bouzihay said the tuition changes will help SEMO take advantage of a Missouri law passed last year that will remove the cap for tuition increases in July 2022. Resident and online tuition rates will be the same, at $300.50, and non-residents will pay $400.50 “to keep it consistent.” Tuition is currently $248 for Missouri residents, $317 for online students and $467 for non-residents.

She said even though the price changes benefit the school from the trending increase of online students, it may lead people to ask what incentives there are to attend SEMO on-campus. Bouzihay said auxiliary buildings like the recreational center will receive more funding after the changes, and will be available to online students.

Bouzihay talked about her meeting with Vice President of Enrollment Management and Success Debbie Below, who said the campus traditional gum tree keeps dying. Bouzihay said due to the tree’s importance and popularity as a marketing device, she would talk to admissions about creating a sculpture or model of the tree as a possible solution.

Another development SGA Vice President Nolan Knupp talked about was the “syllabus initiative.” In Spring 2023, students will be able to look up example syllabi of courses on a web page on the SEMO website prior to enrolling.

There will also be more information to help students make informed decisions about their courses, such as whether courses are offered in the spring or fall semesters or if there are extra costs for materials or books.

The Student Government Association meetings are held every Monday in the University Center ballroom at 8 p.m. A livestream is on the Arrow’s Facebook page.