DeKALB | Before a bill that would allow students to vote online in Student Association elections was shot down, tensions and sparks flared between the senators and the SA president at Sunday night’s senate meeting.

It began with heated questioning toward Ashley Johnson, executive staff appointee, who will fill the director of governmental affairs position. SA President Adam Novotney stood up and defended Johnson from the senate’s grilling questions.

Next, the senate discussed a resolution that would allow students to vote for SA candidates online. Novotney, who was quoted in an article Thursday as being firmly against an Internet-voting system, told the senate that his personal investigations found Internet voting to be insecure and unfeasible.

The resolution was voted against 12-10, with three abstentions.

Novotney’s final straw was drawn when legislation went before the senate that would place a check on executive appointments, forcing the SA to provide bi-weekly reports to the senate summarizing its activities and how many hours paid SA directors worked.

The bill called for non-compliant SA directors to be issued pay cuts or even removed from their positions.

Novotney supported the idea of the bill, but told the senate that the bill’s implementation was “bass-ackwards.”

“I’m not trying to dissuade you from voting with your conscience or whatever you think you do here every Sunday. I’m merely telling you what is going to happen. I am going to veto it,” the SA president said. “I’m not threatening, I’m telling you I am going to veto it. You can then overturn it the week after. That’s fine. I’m telling you what I am going to do. The job of the senate and the job of the speaker is not to manage the staff; that is the job of the chief of staff.”

Novotney’s statement infuriated numerous senators, notably Senator John Rauch of District 3.

“You are trying to make a mockery of the senate, and I don’t really appreciate it.” Rauch told Novotney.

Another senator, who wished to remain anonymous, felt Novotney’s remarks were disrespectful to the integrity of the senate.

The bill passed 14-3 with a notable eight abstentions, and will pass Novotney’s desk Tuesday.