After several heated meetings, the ASUA Senate held its final meeting yesterday, which ended with sentimental goodbyes from many of the senators.
Tensions in the Associated Students of the University of Arizona Senate had been high after Monday’s failed attempt to pass a resolution censuring the speech and actions of student body President Cade Bernsen.
“”Our last two meetings did not go well, and I feel like that was partly my fault,”” said Sen. Heather Spicer, who sponsored the censure on the agenda. “”But I’m glad by communicating through e-mails and face-to-face we were able to come here and be respectful of one another, which is what I really wanted.””
Spicer reintroduced the censure on yesterday’s senate agenda for reconsideration but motioned to strike it at the meeting, saying it had “”caused so much chaos”” earlier in the week and Bernsen had been reprimanded by the censure being formally presented, even if it wasn’t passed.
“”I just decided that it wasn’t worth it, and what needed to be done was done by officially publicly reading the censureship,”” Spicer said.
Although he doesn’t officially begin his term as executive vice president until next week, David Reece took over vice chair duties for the absent Sen. Patrick Cook, who had been filling in since January for Executive Vice President Erin Hertzog.
Reece said although Cook’s absence was unexcused, he believed Cook was tending to familial responsibilities and the absence could be excused later.
Senators took time during their final reports to give their farewells to members of ASUA and fellow senators.
Sen. Jami Reinsch said that although the year was filled with ups and downs for ASUA, the senators had come out stronger as a result.
“”We all learned a lot about each other and a lot about ourselves,”” Reinsch said.
Sen. Ashley Eden said leaving will be particularly hard for her because this is her second year serving as a senator.
“”I thought it ended well,”” Eden said. “”It was a good wrap-up for the year. We have been through some tough times, but we came through better people.””
A few of next year’s incoming senators attended the meeting and were on the receiving end of some advice for their upcoming terms.
Sen. Ryan Montana Erickson told them to prepare, as being a senator was the most intense experience he’s been through.
“”I never thought I would find something more stressful than having a girlfriend,”” he joked. “”But I did.””
