The Student Association speaker responded against the senate’s rejection of a proposed senate- run committee.

SA Speaker Nelson Perez said he could better serve the senators in his position with the proposed Committee on Student Affairs (COSA). COSA was rejected by the SA during Sunday night’s meeting.

Perez described his position as one of filling vacant senators’ seats, acting as a watchdog and serving as an advocate of students’ needs.

He said the goal of COSA was to “establish a means of communication between distinct governing bodies.”

“It would give them (the executive staff and senate) their own committee, their own course of independent action. It was for the future,” he said.

“The purpose was to prevent internal strife, but it seemed to cause what it was supposed to get rid of.”

Part of the problem senators had with the committee was their belief that it caused a duplication of tasks, Perez said.

However, Perez said he did not see any duplication and would like to know the tasks believed to have been duplicated. “I didn’t see any polishing needed. I asked the senators to help out.”

He said he believed “COSA was crucial to the senate speaker position.”

Perez replaced former SA Speaker Dawn Lowry after her resignation from the position. At the time of her resignation, Lowry claimed the decision to resign was brought about by a lack of responsibilities pertaining to her position.

“When the senate itself censors you, it is frustrating,” Lowry said.

“If the senators focus on issues as they are thrown at them instead of finding issues firsthand, then it reduces the role of speaker to being reactive, instead of proactive.”

Perez responded, “Ditto, big time. The committee would have been proactive.”

Perez continued to stress that students should speak up and approach him with issues they feel are important.

The SA senate speaker’s office is located on the second floor of the Holmes Student Center. He also can be reached at 753-0482, the SA office phone number.