SGA officer steps down
By Danny Gillham
Staff Reporter

Student Government Association Parliamentarian Blake Eason announced at Tuesday night’s meeting he will step down.

Eason, a junior finance major, said he will run for the SGA presidency in the upcoming November elections. He said it was necessary for him to step down in order to run an ethical campaign. He said keeping his office would be a conflict of interest.

“The parliamentarian is the final judge on whether or not someone is staying to the rules, including campaigns,” Eason said.

SGA adviser Larry Markley said he approved of Eason’s decision.

“I personally think Blake would have been fair in the (election) process, but I understand his logic behind doing so,” Markley said.

SGA President Brad Thompson said he ran for his current office last fall while working as vice president of Programming Council. He said most of his duties were completed although he didn’t resign.

“There are a lot of conflicts that make it very hard when you are trying to run a campaign and do a job, so it’s a better option,” said Thompson, a senior radio-TV-film major.

Eason said he would likely have a full schedule juggling both.

A member of SGA for five semesters, Eason said he is qualified to run for president.

“I’ve been involved with SGA for quite some time, serving in both PC and (House of Representatives),” Eason said. “I served all around, and I know how it works.”

Eason said three members of SGA have spoken to him about filling his position for the remaining part of the semester. Thompson said a replacement will be appointed in about a week.

Two bills also unanimously passed Tuesday.

One bill made the communications committee a standing committee, and the other allocated $4,864 to provide the SGA offices with new computers.

Another bill was introduced to complete funding of the FrogPages Web site. The bill will be debated and voted on next Tuesday.