Proposed bylaws rile up students at open forum

A debate over possible Activity Fee Board bylaw changes broke out at the open forum 5 p.m. Thursday in the Student Center. Lots of student retaliation to the suggested bylaws lead the meeting to run more than an hour.
The changes include requiring AFB members that are affiliated with a certain club that is requesting money to abstain from the discussion and the vote for that club’s budget hearing. There is also mention of an impeachment process for violating this suggested bylaw.
Senate President Katrina Hurley proposed the bylaw amendments after numerous senators had approached her with concerns of biased decisions and lobbying in regards to the budget hearings.
Senator and AFB member Cody Cooper was not in favor of the new bylaws, saying that they would silence the voice of the AFB members. He argued that a member affiliated with a particular club would actually offer insight into why the requested budget is necessary or not.
Stephanie Alfred, junior of Mitchell, said the proposed bylaws knocked the professionalism of the AFB and were not necessary.
Hurley tried to explain to the crowd that the bylaws were not meant to demean the AFB members’ authority, but rather were a preventative measure to ensure all clubs were treated fairly.
Cooper suggested letting the affiliated member still speak in the AFB discussion, but not letting them vote on the allocation as a compromise.
The matter was far from resolved, and the meeting was past time, so Hurley pushed the discussion to the Senate meeting on the following Monday.
-Vice Mayor Miles Bannan came to represent the Chadron Area Aquatics and Wellness Center and answer questions about a request for an additional $10,000. Senate voted in favor of the allocation on Monday.
-Hurley announced the Spring Daze Budget again. The total budget is for $37,000. The breakdown is for apparel, $5,524.28; inflatables, $12,850; petting zoo, $8,000; club booths, $2,500; food truck, $5,000; Mr. & Mrs. Spring Daze, $500; pool party, $800; wristbands, $20; decorations, $1,000; and contingency, $800. It was also voted for on Monday.
-PBL asked Senate for $5,253 for a trip to a conference competition in California. This request was approved Monday.
-The Campus Improvement Committee has proposed to change the signs on the dorm lobby bathrooms from “men” and “women” to “restroom.”