Brandon Navarro, senator for the College of Fine Arts, states why he voted "no" on a resolution asking UTRGV students to vote in favor of the Athletics Fee Referendum. The Student Government Association voted against the resolution during its meeting Tuesday night in the University Ballroom on the Edinburg campus. Valeria Henderson/The Rider Photos
In a 10-4 vote Tuesday night, the Student Government Association rejected a resolution that calls for UTRGV students to vote in favor of the Athletics Fee Referendum.
SGA Brownsville Vice President Yahia Al-Qudah presented the resolution at the senate meeting under the Unfinished Business portion of the agenda.
“This resolution will recognize the upcoming Fall 2021 student referendum and establish the Student Government Association’s official support for the proposal,” Al-Qudah said during the meeting, which was held in the University Ballroom.
The resolution states “the Student Government Association (SGA) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) recognizes the proposed student referendum as an incredible opportunity for transforming student involvement, school spirit, and the RGV economy. SGA urges all current UTRGV students to vote in favor of the proposed student referendum from November 8-10, 2021.”
After reading the resolution aloud, Al-Qudah said, “This is our time, as an SGA, to participate and do something that will affect UTRGV students for the future.”
SGA does have the right to show their opinion, he said.
School of Nursing Senator Mariana Estevan made a motion to voting with rights.
Senate Chair Jose Raul Ruiz and Sergeant-at-Arms Patricia Hernandez Howard took charge of the structure of the roll call with rights.
Ruiz went down the line in order of the senators present in person first and then via Zoom. When their name was called, they stated their vote.
Karitza Garcia, senator for the School of Nursing and chair of the internal affairs standing committee, voted against the resolution.
“So, I voted nay with rights, reason being is because I do not believe that SGA should take an official position and just allow students to make an informed decision no matter how good the cause is,” Garcia said after her vote.
College of Fine Arts Senator Brandon Navarro also voted “no” with rights.
“I believe that, as [the] Student Government Association, as the leaders within the UTRGV, that we, as a whole, should not be supportive of this as one,” Navarro said. “We should remain [unbiased].”
Ruiz announced the results: 10 voted against, four in favor and two abstained.
“This resolution is denied by the senate,” Ruiz said.
Job Martinez, senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, reminded students of the SGA’s role in the referendum during an interview with The Rider last Wednesday.
“SGA’s role with the referendum is we as a collective, all the individuals who make up the SGA, essentially we brought up this referendum so that students are able to vote on it,” Martinez said. “That it’s their voice and it’s their vote and they’ll decide specifically whether the referendum gets passed or not.”
If students approve the referendum, they will pay an additional $11.25 per credit hour, capped at 12 hours, to fund the establishment of a football program, women’s swimming and diving teams, two marching bands and two spirit programs.
Voting on the Athletics Fee Referendum will take place via email from 8 a.m. Nov. 8 to 11:59 p.m. Nov. 10. A ballot will be sent to students’ UTRGV emails with the subject line, SGA Referendum Ballot: Vote Now.
Under new business, the senate approved the following appointments:
–finance senior Moises Calderon-Guillén, as senator-at-large
–graduate student in art Kimberly Sandoval, as senator-at-large
–graduate student in rehabilitation counseling Beatriz Treviño, as senator for the Graduate College
–music education junior Luis Viveros, as senator for the College of Fine Arts
–nursing sophomore Victoria Olvera, as senator for the School of Nursing
–environmental science sophomore Patricia Hernandez Howard, as secretary of communication and recruitment.
The senate also approved four courtesy resolutions presented by Martinez praising the Center for Student Involvement for “extraordinary contributions to all student organizations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic”; Custodial and Grounds for its “extraordinary maintenance of campus grounds”; Parking and Transportation for its “commitment to safety while providing exceptional accessibility towards the services provided by transportation services of all students”; and the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship for its “extraordinary contributions to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and it’s committed mission towards student success for all students at the College of Business.”
The next SGA meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 16.
