“It’s important that you have people that are actually qualified and have experience in student government, and Neal’s been in student government for four years.” “It’s important that you have people that are actually qualified and have experience in student government, and Neal’s been in student government for four years.” “It’s important that you have people that are actually qualified and have experience in student government, and Neal’s been in student government for four years.”
- Russ Rueden, outgoing Student Association president

The Student Association Senate unanimously approved outgoing SA President Russ Rueden’s latest appointment to the University Student Court at the last SA meeting of the year early last month.

Sen. Neal Michals will fill the fourth student justice seat. As a member of SA, Michals has served as the speaker of the Senate, shared governance director and adviser to three presidents.

“He’s incredibly qualified,” Rueden said. “It’s important that you have people that are actually qualified and have experience in student government, and Neal’s been in student government for four years.”

Though he was unanimously approved, there was some concern expressed over Michal’s relationship with Reuden, and Sen. Joseph Ohler questioned whether having two justices who work for the Union, including Michals, might present problems if the court needed to hear a case involving the Union.

Later in the May 7 meeting, Ohler also presented a measure, which was defeated, that would have given the Senate some extra authority in appointments to the student court if the president delays an appointment. There has been some controversy over vacant student court positions and Rueden’s slow response to filling them this year.

“There’s already been evidence that the current provisions of our governing document are inadequate to meet the needs of our students,” Ohler said.

Ohler cited Rueden’s failure to appoint someone to fill a vacancy, created in February, until April 23 as evidence of the inadequacy. The court was not functional for much of this school year due to the fact that there were only two justices. The court is required to have three members to operate.

Several members of the Senate said that they believed Ohler’s legislation violated Senate Bylaws.

Despite the controversy, Michals said that he is ready for the challenge of a being a justice on the University Student Court.

“The judicial branch is the only branch I have not done yet, so I’m looking for new experiences and new opportunities, and I thought that the court presented itself well for this,” said Michals. “I’m looking forward to being a justice.”

Also at the meeting:

• Dustin Wales was approved to fill a Senate vacancy for the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business.

• Legislation was passed to oppose the implementation of Residential Preferred Parking.

• New student groups were approved including the Wakeboard Club, Neuroscience Club, Students for Doyle/Lawton 2006 and the Painting Association of Mitchell Hall.

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