With each passing week, it becomes increasingly clear that the Missouri Southern Student Senate is lost and doesn’t act like it cares to ask for directions.

The attempted removal of former Senator Dylan Slagle that ended last week’s Student Senate meeting has resulted in Slagle’s expulsion from the group. Moreover, it has started a firestorm on both sides of an issue. Unfortunately, what the issue is remains painfully unclear.

Slagle told The Chart he believes his actions were misguided but he hopes his they will draw attention to the fact that the Senate is in need of reform. After last weeks meeting, Vice President David Reed said a lack of clarification in procedure is to blame.

“We don’t know how to run out meetings yet, and that could be indicative of the fact that this is our third meeting or it could be indicative of the fact that we don’t know how to follow our own rules,” he said.

“It’s Senate trying to get more power, we’re a lot more than an ATM and we need to show it,” Lynch said.

Good point, Will.

If the Senate cannot figure out what is wrong with it’s own inner workings, how is it supposed to speak for the rest of the student body?

Wednesday, senators were given seven new resolutions to consider for next week’s meeting. One of these states “the vast majority of students and faculty wish to end, as soon as possible, The Piano Competition.” The resolution also calls for disclosing the cost of the competition and says “any excuse not to accomplish this small task is a blatant statement of non-support of student activity, and a lack of recognition that student funds are what pays for such activities.”

The resolution raises a few questions, but not about the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition, as it is properly called.

For the record, the University does not fund the MSIPC. Southern provides an office, a secretary and some support from faculty and staff. The organization must raise money from donors in the community. What’s next, Senate? Putting on a ski mask and holding up the Missouri Southern Foundation?

All facetiousness aside, the Wednesday night Senate meetings are making us wonder if some senators want to lead or just hear the sound of their own voices. Other proposed resolutions make us inclined to believe the latter.

Other proposed resolutions included a request for parking for hybrid cars only, and one that requests discounts for students who bring their own cups to University Java. While we applaud the nod to ecology and a cheaper cup o’ Joe, how do those efforts support student activities?

Last week, Matt Day said the Senate had “become a worthless organization.”

Senate President Hector Amaya and this year’s Senate are a motivated group. They are among some of the brightest and most active students on this campus. Why then are so many of their great ideas getting lost in the midst of the fact that they don’t know how to follow their own rules?

Why are they proposing resolutions to accomplish limited ends instead of holding student roundtables or town halls on the war in Iraq, or the fees for the proposed Student Rec Center, or Greek housing. There is no shortage of causes begging for leadership.

Where is our Senate?

This Senate has the potential to be more than an “ATM and a soap opera.” Those are a senator’s words, by the way. However, if the Senate continues on its current path, it will likely find it a road to nowhere.