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Jackson, Tenn. - 51社区's Student Government Association (SGA)
received top honors at this year's 33rd General Assembly of the Tennessee Intercollegiate
State Legislature (TISL). Held the third week in October, Union's delegates received
several awards including Best Delegation, Lieutenant Governor of the Senate, Speaker of
the House and Director of Recruitment. Perhaps most noteworthy, three of the delegation
members authored bills that were named priority legislation and will be presented to the
actual state House in the next session.
Junior Caleb Trent authored two bills dealing with organ donation in hopes to
"increase awareness and educate my peers about the benefits of organ donation," said
Trent. Freshmen Chad Cossiboom and Rachel Watson co-authored a bill designed to
increase the compound interest for late child support payments from the current twelve
percent to eighteen percent. According to Watson, "a lot of parents aren't paying child
support because it's not a first priority, not because they can't. We think it should be. The
children are the most important people in this situation and this bill is to help them."
These bills are three of only ten that are chosen each year to be presented to the 101st
Tennessee General Assembly for consideration.
Caleb and Joshua Trent were both elected as lieutenant governor and speaker of
the house, respectively, and Tim Jones was appointed Director of Recruitment. Senior
Matt Thompson served as Speaker of the House this year and Caleb Trent served as
treasurer. Head delegate was Andrea McDaniel and Joshua Trent served as co-head
delegate.
TISL, founded by the student governments of Tennessee's public and private
universities, provides constructive experience in leadership while serving to assist in
coordinating governmental functions of the over fifty student governments located across
Tennessee.
Union delegates who attended this year included seniors Beth Chapman, Andrea
McDaniel, Jeramee Rice, and Matt Thomson; juniors James Dick, Jennifer McClearen,
Neal Rager, Carla Rose, Caleb and Joshua Trent, and Mary Tullis; and freshmen Chad
Cossiboom, Rachel Watson and Tim Jones. This is the fourth year that Union has sent a
delegation.
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