Last night the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate approved a board of three executive leaders in charge of appointing the elections commissioner.

The new board, which replaced the previous act requiring the USG president to make the sole decision, will consist of the USG president, Senate president and Academic Assembly president in an attempt to make the appointment less biased. As was dictated in the previous code, Senate has the responsibility of making the final confirmation.

"Instead of putting that decision in one person's hands, it relies on executive heads," Senate President Andy Banducci said.

After debate concerning possible biases of the governmental branches and the constitutionality of the revision, the amendment passed.

"I feel that that's the solution we've been looking for," Town Sen. Frank Criscione said. "I think it's the best way to go about electing an elections commissioner."

Other possible boards were considered, including the addition of the USG vice president or removal of the Senate president, but were ultimately unsuccessful.

South Halls Sen. Henry Hund argued that adding too many executive heads would decrease student representation and said that the current board of three would best support that cause.

"It needs to be for the students," he said.

The amendment concerning the appointment board was one of 14 discussed at the meeting. USG President Galen Foulke affirmed three, which didn't include the initiative to create a board in charge of appointing the elections commissioner.

The remaining 11 amendments were vetoed by Foulke. Senate then reconvened to override eight of the vetoes, establishing the amendment to assign the board.

Senate decided that the remaining three amendments that were vetoed could be improved and intends to rewrite them and bring them back into discussion at next week's USG Senate meeting.

All amendments to the code will be brought before the Supreme Court on Monday for the final approval.

Foulke and Banducci will have the opportunity to argue their positions before the court makes its decision on which amendments the elections code will keep. The announcement will be made Tuesday.

"If they decide to [veto the amendment], we'll be back at square one," Banducci said.

Changes to the elections code can be made until the day before the election.

Also last night, Rebecca McConnell was sworn into office as a town senator, replacing the vacancy left by Chuck Buchanan, and Eastview/Nittany Sen. Miranda Weaver was added to the Internal Affairs committee.