UNT Senate votes down same-sex homecoming bill

by Carolyn Brown of North Texas Daily

For now, UNT’s Homecoming Court will retain its traditional heterosexual structure as a result of last night’s Student Senate meeting.

The senate voted against a bill to amend the Student Government Association’s bylaws to allow same-sex couples to run for positions on the Homecoming Court.

School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management senator Christopher Passafiume, author of the bill, answered questions about the legislation and promoted it during the discussion.

“All I’m asking for is the acknowledgement of all types of couples,” he said.

The bill generated considerable controversy among students, parents, and alumni.

After the bill was introduced last week, the SGA office received numerous phone calls and e-mails from people threatening to withdraw their support and their students, SGA president Dakota Carter said.

Carter and student senate speaker Drew Robertson reminded the senators several times to speak civilly.

Carter also said the bill would not ultimately have a great impact if passed.

“Homecoming is a popularity contest,” Carter said. “It’s not going to change the world.”

The senate spent an hour in question-and-answer sessions and discussion.

Numerous senators voiced their concerns that the bill would not represent the majority of their constituents.

Others argued that the bill would bring necessary equality and diversity to the Homecoming Court.

Several senators also voiced concerns that passing the bill might cause people to boycott Homecoming events.

Several freshman interns spoke about an informal poll they conducted of 200 students.

They said the results were generally negative, though some senators questioned the methods used.

Five senators voted for the bill, 10 voted against it, and eight abstained.

Passafiume said he was dissatisfied that the bill failed to pass.

“It’s disappointing,” he said. “Hopefully in the future this may not be as big of an issue for senators’ constituents, and it might be passed.”

After the vote, College of Arts and Sciences senator Hunter Nelson chided his fellow senators for abstaining.

“‘Yes or no’ is representing your constituents. Abstaining is hiding behind a word,” he said.

Newly appointed College of Music senator Jason Howeth voted against the bill for a couple of different reasons, he said.

“I felt as if we would lose too much alumni,” he said. “I voted ‘no’ because I don’t see the current setup as hindering anyone’s ability to run as Homecoming King or Queen and I felt there would be too much disruptive discord within the university to pass this bill.”

The SGA is a group of people elected by the student body to serve as connections between administrators and students.

All students can attend senate meetings at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays in Wooten 322.

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