The Student Association senate wasted no time Sunday night in stirring up controversy at its first meeting of the semester when senators attempted to eliminate a standing committee and later violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

The senate was barely into its meeting Sunday when Senator Gary Stittgen motioned that the SA withdraw its recognition of the Student Committee on Political Action.

Although the senate could not agree on a final decision regarding SCOPA, it debated the issue and decided to refer the motion to the SA Internal Affairs Committee. The SA will address the issue again next Sunday.

Stittgen said SCOPA has “torn to shreads” the SA’s credibility, and he called SCOPA members “a bunch of radicals.”

Without SCOPA’s “damaging” reputation, “the administration might actually listen to one of (the SA’s) proposals,” he said. “SCOPA uses the students’ money for their actions, but the cost is the credibility of NIU students.”

But SA Vice President Greg Bliss said it was “very premature” to bring the issue before the senate because new senators were not familiar with SCOPA.

After the meeting, Stittgen said at least 20 of the senators have preliminary plans to replace SCOPA with “a committee that will carry out the actions the SA approves.”

Stittgen said the replacement committee will “hopefully” be in operation by the second week of October. He added, however, that he “would have personal reservations” about allowing SCOPA members on the proposed committee.

Senator Jim Valentine said SCOPA’s “radical movements” do not reflect the feeling of the majority of NIU students.

But SCOPA Co-chairman Mike Goldstein said Stittgen’s proposal was a “personal vendetta against SCOPA.

“I think SCOPA did more good than the SA did last year in trying for (an Illinois) tax increase,” he said. “SCOPA’s out there to provoke awareness and action.”

SCOPA Co-chairman Rene Lilly said the senate “can cut us off from the SA, but it can’t stop us (from being politically active).”

The senate went into executive session for almost an hour to discuss Darnell Williams’ appointment as Academic Affairs adviser. While in executive session, the senate approved his appointment, violating the “Illinois Open Meetings Act,” which states in paragraph 42, “No final action may be taken at a closed meeting.”

Bliss said he was not aware of that stipulation in the Open Meetings Act. Williams will be formally approved at Sunday’s meeting, he added.

The SA also approved the following appointments: Morenike Cheatom and Ann Rapp, associate directors of University Planning and Activities; Rob Perry, elections commissioner; Henry Winsor, Campus Parking Committee; Dave Broustis, Campus Environmental Committee; Nick Valadez, President’s Fee Study Committee; Russell Dandurand, Parking Appeals Committee; Tana Titre and Bliss, Northern Star Publication Board.