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Friday, July 25, 2025

After granting the senior class $10,000, SGA president reneged in a move that may be unconstitutional

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Spirit Rock header

The senior class of 2015 wanted to leave their legacy with 28-ton Spirit Rock in hopes of creating a new tradition for Longwood. The senior class had raised a little over $5,000 last year, but it would cost an estimated $15,000 to move the Spirit Rock from Lancer Park to main campus.

At the end of the previous academic year, the senior class came to SGA to request the difference. After agreeing that it was a sufficient use of student funds, they were allocated the money on April 21, 2015.

What happened next?

Constance Garner led her first meeting as president of the SGA when that allocation was approved. Even though she was unable to vote she did take action by vetoing the decision to fund the moving of the rock on June 9, killing the class gift.

Garner later said in an interview with The Rotunda that she had heard concerns about using student funds for the senior class gift.

There were a lot of issues when talking about the money and the timing of the allocation according to Tim Pierson, vice president of Student Affairs.

Outside of student funds there were issues with the logistics of the project.

“The rock couldn’t have been moved this summer, it wasn’t ready to be moved, we don’t know where it would go yet,” said Pierson

When senate returned Sept. 1 Garner announced her official veto.

The veto.

There is some confusion on whether certain rules were broken in regard to the veto process as it is stated in the constitution.

In the SGA Constitution, Article VI section 6.02: Section 1 it states,

“The President shall have the power to veto any legislation passed by the Student Senate within a one (1) week period immediately following the Student Senate meeting in which the legislation was passed; notice of the veto must appear in the agenda for the next Student Senate meeting.”

“My interpretation was, I had to make it known that I was doing a veto in the next senate meeting,” said Garner. “I did include the executive board in all of this, a lot of people are questioning why I didn’t inform senate before.”

According to Garner, it doesn't seem constitutionally correct because an official veto couldn’t have been made within a week since senate was out of session. This means that the veto held until the SGA came back in session, making the official veto day, Sept. 1.

Paige Rollins, former senator and 2015 senior class president learned about this veto over the summer by word of mouth. After hearing the news she reached out to President Garner in an email on June 12, in hopes of finding resolution. Rollins heard no response until June 29 where Garner clarified that she had vetoed the funding.

According to Rollins, the senior class was never officially contacted, but they were working with David Love, director of landscaping and grounds management and the facilitator of moving the Spirit Rock, when they were told they could no longer continue.

In an interview with The Rotunda, Love mentioned that he found a contractor over the summer that fit all of the financial requirements.

“The reason why the process kind of stopped first off it needed to get into the Master Plan, that didn’t really occur,” said Love.

According to Love, one of the vice president’s of Facilities Management, Dick Bratcher, told him that the rock was no longer going to be moved around the time Garner and Pierson “had their conversation.”

“I think the biggest thing was the money issue,” said Love. “Up until a point it was available then Constance I guess vetoed it and that’s when the money issue really came up.”

“They basically got wind of my veto and it was stopped,” said Garner.

Arguably, the constitution was broken with the veto process. Since this all occurred before July 1, the senior class still had time to utilize the funds when the decision was made to veto the allocation.

The reserves.

This account was put in place so that unused student funds have an account to cycle back into so they can be used in the future.

“The money didn’t go away, the money is available and the reserves are available for anything that is really needed,” said Pierson. “We bought the bikes, SGA purchased the bikes with money out of the reserves.”

When asked about the reserves and whether it was public information Pierson responded saying they don’t typically do that but it isn’t a hidden thing.

“I don’t even have full access to the reserve accounts, I can’t go in right now and tell you how much is in there,” said Garner.  

With much skepticism, this ongoing issue is being discussed amongst SGA representatives, faculty and staff members to decide on what to do next with The Spirit Rock.

Tori Walker is press secretary and has served on the SGA since Fall 2014.

David Love, and members of the Senior Class(Paige Rollins, OTHER NAMES COMING) present their proposal to move the 'Rock' from Lancer Park to Ihler field for their Senior Class gift. This 'Rock' will be come a spirit rock that the campus will be able to use as a new tradition. (DRAFT, reword if needed for clarification and corrections)

The 'Rock' will have a new home in the future thanks to the senior class of 2015. The senior class with the help from SGA will move this 28 ton rock to Ihler Field and will become the new spirit rock for Longwood and its' organizations. This rock was originally found when Chichester was built and was moved to Lancer Park.