The University of Memphis’ Student Government Association sent a bill requesting that the school place an automatic teller machine in the Tiger Den back to committee for further discussion during the Thursday night SGA meeting.
A long-awaited measure that would possibly place additional ATMs on The U of M campus was sent back to committee due to indecision among SGA members.
The addition of an ATM to the Tiger Den and possibly to the business building were requested, but the question remained as to which bank would be asked to provide the tellers, as well as where they would finally be placed.
Some students have complained that walking across campus to the University Center, where the only cash machines on campus are located, is inconvenient, especially with the re-routing of walkways due to construction.
The SGA also created a committee Thursday night to deal with the problem of lack of student in U of M basketball games in light of a possible move by administration to further reduce student seating at the Pyramid due to the apparent lack of student support.
SGA Senator Andrew McGarrity, newly-elected chairman of the committee, said he did not know what actions would be taken as of the time of the meeting, but that the committee would start by drumming up student support for The U of M’s nationally ranked basketball team for next week’s games.
The move comes on the heels of last week’s announcement that student seating would be cut by 400 seats this semester in order to sell the seating to the general public.
U of M officials have since warned that an additional 800 seats could be taken from the student body if student attendance does not increase during the next few home games.
William Porter, dean of students and adviser to the SGA, addressed the situation in Thursday night’s meeting.
“The athletics department estimated that if they had sold all of the student seating for the first three games, they could have made somewhere around $80,000,” Porter said.
However, he also pointed out that students’ activity fees cover their tickets to the games, guaranteeing them seats at all U of M home games.
SGA members pointed out that if students want to attend the high-profile games later in the season, they must show interest in the less highly-contested games earlier in the season.
Other bills passed by the SGA include a request to provide an opportunity for students to buy supplies necessary for student work in the 24-hour computer labs after the bookstore has closed, and a request for the SGA to hold a mock election in the fall of 2002 to determine the student body’s choice for Tennessee’s next governor.
A bill proposing that lighting be added to the Zach Curlin parking lot across from the Rose Theatre was also passed, including a request for more campus police patrol of the parking lot. All of the bills passed will be sent to University President Shirley Raines for consideration.
The last bill sent back to committee was a request to Parking Services to open the resident parking lot, lot 29, to sorority members who meet on Monday nights and cannot find a parking place near the building.
All meetings of the SGA are open to the student body and faculty.
