The Hornet Tribune

Issue date: 3/8/08 Section: University News

Media Credit: Bryant Magee Sen. Darnell Howard explains his viewpoint about the approval of a bill that would send nine students to Costa Rica.

Nine students will be traveling to Costa Rica for two weeks this summer as part of the Alabama State University's Spanish Living and Learning Community due to the Student Government Association Senate accidently approving a bill during a reguarly scheduled meeting on Mar. 6 at 8:30 p.m. in the SGA Complex.

Sen. Tony Cobb encouraged the senators to pass the bill.

"The Spanish Living and Learning Community is asking for $5500 to go to Costa Rica," Cobb said. "The trip will be two weeks."

A member of the Spanish Living and Learning Community explained the details of the trip.

"We will be taking a study tour of Costa Rica. We are only asking for you to provide a portion of the funds we need for the trip. We plan on obtaining the other portion through fundraising. There will be nine students going on this trip. Each student has to pay $200 to go on the trip. That's $1800. Mr. Thorpe, a professor, will be going on the trip as the adviser."

The approval of the Costa Rica trip became a very controversial issue, as the senators apparently did not hear Vice President Jamilia Colquitt when she requested that they vote on the bill. After the bill was approved, many of the senators were complaining because they were unaware that they were voting to pass or fail the bill.

Among the presenters of the bill included senior criminal justice major and Spanish teacher Christopher Parham. After the bill was approved, Parham talked about how he felt about the events that transpired.

"I'm happy that my bill was approved," Parham said. "I'm sad that the bill was approved because the senators were not listening to the other senators. If the senators weren't listening to themselves, I know they weren't listening to me."

The adviser for the Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association introduced the senators to a proposal in which he requested money for a concert.

"We are in the process of doing some things that involve bringing some entertainment to campus," Ashbourne said. "Last semester, we brought artists to campus such as Trey Songz and Tank. We are going to bring milionaire producers to campus in order to educate people about the opportunities are available in the music industry.

Continued...

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