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Jaelee Edmond
Megan Keaton
ENC2135 007
28 July 2015
I call this meeting to order (Robert 1)
Florida State University is comprised of 32,528 students known for its diversity and
integral education (Florida State University). Every student here has a passion and potential for
greatness. So upon my first day of school attending the summer C term here at FSU I began to
ask my peers what they wanted to take from this college experience. Since this is supposedly the
best four years of our lives. I then followed up by asking if they knew what Student Government
Association (SGA) was here on campus. To my surprise not one freshman knew what I was
asking, or even what Student Government meant. That question is what sparked my passion for
change here not just in my school but in the community. FSU Student Government Association is
the heart of the student body. Their mission is to provide FSU students with representation,
services, and advocacy within the university structure. The SGA provides quality leadership for,
and accountability to, its constituency by recognizing that strength arises from diversity,
engagement, and dialogue (Student Government Association 1). There are three sectors that
make up the Student Government; those are the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches.
They all have completely differentiating tasks but together with the power of checks and
balances at the sole benefit of the student body faculty and staff at Florida State. Curiosity drove
me to ask the SGA Secretary of Student Affairs, Katy Welch some questions on the importance
and powers of those branches previously stated. She responded with the purpose of the

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Legislative Branch in SGA is to represent the students by vote, this branch is the Senate to pass
and adhere laws, amendments, and new appointed and elected members into SGA (Welch).
Katy then stated the properties of the executive branch were to be the face of the SGA, to
execute laws and make sure the platform is being well represented (Welch). The platform is the
party outline the executive branch, or President and his cabinet, which currently Jean Tabares
presides as the Student body President portrays when running. The platform tells the students
everything that will be planned for the upcoming school year, its a selling campaign strategy as
well as source of information to the people. Lastly in the very helpful interview between me and
my fellow peer Katy, she explained that the Judicial branch interprets laws and handles any
faulty misconceptions with students both inside and out of SGA (Welch). That interview gave
me a solid understanding of the branches and their duties among the complex process of the SGA
at Florida State.
I call this meeting to order (Robert 1). When I heard those words followed by the sound
of a gavel hitting the podium upon my first day of senate I knew thats the community I was
meant to be in. Something about having a passion for SGA makes my job that much easier. A
little background on myself as an ambitious young scholar, I was President of my SGA back in
high school and applied to the FSU SGA at a collegiate level as soon as possible. After one week,
and going through an intimidating three course interview process, I was sworn in as a Florida
State Senator. With Student Government being such a wide field I decided to select just the
Legislative branch, otherwise known as the Senate, in particular to be my future community and
home.
The legislative branch on its own gives eighty students each year the opportunity to
embody and represent one of the seventeen divisions, those divisions are stated as followed;

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Applied Studies, Arts and Sciences, Business, Communication & Information, Criminology,
Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Human Sciences, Motion Picture, Television and
Recording Arts, Music, Nursing, Social Sciences, Social Work, Special Student, Undergraduate
Studies/Basic Studies, Visual Arts, Theatre, and Dance (Student Government Association Legislative Branch) Those divisions divide up both the undergraduate and graduate seats by
major. All seats are either appointed or elected in the fall, and spring with a few summer seats
available for that standing term (Student Senate Guide 2). While senate seats may come and go
theres a strong foundation in terms of getting projects and operations done effectively. We as the
senate of Florida State divide and conquer all tasks at hand amongst the six primary Senate
committees; Budget, Finance, Judiciary, Internal Affairs, Student Affairs, Rules and Calendar
(Student Government Association - Legislative Branch). Each committee has certain obligations
when it comes to running a senate meeting, as well as the needs of the students at Florida State.
That right there is the primary goal, to be a representative of the people, by the people, and for
the people. I interviewed a close friend Andrew Forst, currently the Senate President, to get an
insiders knowledge on the subject of these committees. From what Forst has taught me, the
Budget committee handles and allocates all funds in and out of the SGA budget. Finance deals
with the financial code and makes sure the schools activity and service fees are in check.
Judiciary deals with the statutes, which are documented laws that are then voted and passed by
senators in meeting. Internal Affairs adheres to any new representatives applying for a seat in
house. Student Affairs is pretty self-explanatory it unites the students and the SGA to bring a
more personable relationship. Rules and calendar distribute the jobs of each committee and a
representative meets from each committee in rules and calendar to go over progress. My
community called the Legislative branch is quite complex but one person cant take on the

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responsibility of the entire student body here at FSU. So the Legislative Branch, or Senate in its
entirety is simply a group of students that amend, vote, and pass legislative laws to meet the
needs of every student at Florida State.
When you begin to think about the large sum of responsibilities deemed toward just the
legislative branch you might wonder how it could all possibly get done. I understand; eighty
students, seventeen divisions, and six committees; how possibly could everyone get tasks done
efficiently and effectively. Ill inform you on some of the most important genres that contribute
to the ecology of the Legislative Branch and how together they all work in unison to meet the
needs of the people here at Florida State.
To begin, back where I was personally only four weeks ago, oh yes the application. The
first, and somewhat most crucial genre in the entirety of the process of the Legislative Branch.
Its your first impression, your initial stamp on a community you most likely long to be a part of,
so of course youre going to make it matter. For example, when applying to the FSU SGA I took
over three hours writing my short responses, I would apply as much effort needed to be in my
dream community. Obviously the hard work payed off upon my acceptance in. The conventions
of my genre in an application emphasizes on strong use of context. In an application the reader,
who is a panel of board of directors that overview all applicants, doesnt want to see pretty
pictures and personalized design and style. They look for effective writers with passion and
leadership in their voice, they want a senator that has a plan and knows how to effectively get it
into motion. Someone that will benefit the Senate a little more than the next, and that is how you
as an individual may stand out from other applicants applying for the same position. Some
mediums, which are tools that may benefit the composition of an application would be resources
like a laptop, and a dictionary. You would be surprised the competition you may go against in the

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application process, make sure youre using high but most importantly credible vocabulary that
makes sense in your application. Some affordances when writing these responses are the fact that
you can explain yourself in words to the fullest, but a constraint may be word count and not
making your application too lengthy, where they simply just wont read it. When writing your
responses you the writer or applicant must remember who your audience is. You want to
affectively appeal to the readers first and foremost. The maker of the SGA Legislative branch
application is Andrew Forst, the current Senate President. So write as if you were persuading
him, your audience is a key factor when applying. The purpose of an application as previously
stated is to see what each candidate has to offer. You dont want to initiate someone into the
community and they not benefit the group in its entirety. The genre of an application is a big help
when meeting the goals of the community in senate, it provides a source of new ideas, in the
application theres a question specifically stating describe at least three goals you have for each
position you are applying for within the administration (FSU Student Government Association).
This official genre will enable the selection of applicants that will work in the future with other
genres to make up the Legislative community. A community of dedicated young leaders, and Im
proud to say Im a part of.
The next step in the process of being in the Legislative Branch is an Email. I know it
doesnt sound important but this official formal genre is one of the most important uses of
network and communication. Not just in my community of Senate in the Legislative sector but
the use of the genre email provides important announcements to all of the student Government. A
verbal media allows the writer, Ms. Mattie Durham the SGA Senate Program Assistant, to
forward all emails regarding when and where committee meetings will take place. In senate all
are welcome to attend, although this is an email a constraint maybe the lack of room allotted to

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write to all senators but it is a quick and affective affordance when needing to get an important
message sent to all. It relates actually directly to the application genre because when I applied I
had to email for an interview time, and upon my induction I got a congratulatory email saying I
was being forwarded as a senator. Email is more effective than other genres of communication
because in this particular community of such a large group of students group messaging and
texting wouldnt be affective because not everyone has I message group chat. Email is the most
efficient formal source of communication and is a very prominent genre in my community.
Once youve applied to be a senator in the Legislative community and gotten the email of
confirmation, you will be handed what I like to call the bible of Senate. A Very important genre
of documentation called the Student Senate Guide. A hand guide written by the President of
Senate himself Andrew Forst. This official formal paperback book is what taught me a lot of
what I know in senate and all senators are expected to have read it. Conventions like pretty
design as well as a hard context of information keep it gauging but informative. The audience is
obviously the senators, were college students youve got to make the rules a little appealing to us
young adults. I cant even begin to describe how resourceful this genre is for me and my fellow
senators. The finance code can be found on page twelve, funding boards and committees as well
on page fourteen, even down to helpful parliamentary procedure on page eighteen. This genre
helps meet the goals of the community by basically outlining the purposes and duties of each
member. As well as giving a rough schedule of future events and types of legislation that could
be amended (Student Senate Guide). The student senate guide is a resource when gauging your
knowledge to answer the application questions and also a reference if Ms. Durham sends an
email regarding maybe even a key term you dont know. So for example get out your guide and
look it up. As you can see with only establishing three genres in the community of the

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Legislative branch, they all so easily work together. A community requires a team effort and
these genres only benefit the players in the game.
Now heres where the root of where student meets government, in the Student
Government Association, more specifically the Legislative branch. The genre of Statutes, each
statute is a written Law, an enactment made by a legislature and expressed in a formal
document (Dictionary). I even had to look that definition up, I dont know everything about
senate, but thats why I love this research assignment Im learning as well! But from what Ive
well-read these statutes are a compilation of laws and duties that are the foundation of Florida
State University. The authors are the senators, they may make and or amend these statutes with
formal consent and passing by two thirds vote. The readers can be anyone for governmental
documentation is always open record. One of the conventions actually maybe a constraint in this
genre of Statues, the official formal context leaving no visual appeal at all really hinders the
dynamic of the composition. Mind you the document of FSUs statutes is over 250 pages long.
The genres purpose to identify and clearly establish rules and regulations all students in and
outside of SGA may abide by. It works hand in hand with the Student Senate Guide both being a
common genre of informative rules, as well as giving a basis of whats expected when you
receive the emails and apply to Student Government Association. Heres an example of a statute
to better familiarize the rules here at FSU, This Chapter shall outline the system of the Student
Body Statutes and by the Attorney General in exercising statutory revision, as well as provide
definitions, interpretations, in the construction of, and compliance with, these statutes (Statutes
1). As you can see its prominent we have these statutes play an important role in the community
of the Legislative branch, they are what we live by here as an enrolled student at FSU. While this

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genre isnt aesthetically pleasing it is crucial information expressed by the powers of the Student
Government Association.
I motion to extend time (Robert 1). I know this essay is long but Ive got to keep you
my audience, college students in ENC2135, engaged somehow. This motion is made a lot in my
community of the Legislative branch during senate chamber conferences. That to me is my
favorite genre and by far the most important. This official and formal meeting is ran by the
senate from the senate. Its a linguistic genre used to meet biweekly in the summer and weekly in
the fall. Senate chambers is located in the student union here at Florida State where all of us
senators bring legislative amendments or budget changes to be allocated and we as a whole vote
for whats best in the eyes of the student body. The conference genre has some constrictions, for
example, when given time to vote on a bill we go through particular parliamentary procedures
called pro and con. Its a regulated five minute stand to call to question or give your position on
the bill. The catcher is you have a restricted time limit and once the motion I move to amend the
bill by is stated, and as long as a senator seconds that motion, the amendment is put directly
to vote (Student Senate Guide 18). The conference genre is what takes all the other genres and
applies them to real life meetings. The application gets you in house, the email tells you when
and where meetings take place, Student Senate Guide is your handbook on information about the
conference, Statutes are what defines citizen rights and regulations when in a conference, and
finally the conference applies the genres to a vote, literally. If we as senators didnt meet at
conferences we wouldnt get legislation passed to benefit the students. Examples of legislation
we previously passed in the last senate chamber meeting was an allocation of one thousand
dollars from senate projects to food in the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. The money was explicitly
addressed by the dollar amount and was for the upcoming late night pancake event on August

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19th and 20th. Each senator usually has a binder and pen to take notes and laptops and clickers are
used to have secret ballots when amending legislation. We use clickers because a senator is
usually presenting the amendment and if it isnt a good addition the senators might not agree
with the law and want to vote against it no bias on the senator presenting, and no hurt feelings if
the legislation doesnt receive the needed two thirds vote to pass. These conferences can last up
to four hours depending on how much business is needed to get accomplished. In my community
of the legislative branch the conferences are of high importance for the betterment of the student
body, and that right there is the mission of Student Government Association at Florida State.
The last genre of my future community is a little more personal, an unofficial informal
genre of notes. Being one of two freshman senators, expected to talk at the collegiate level of a
senior senator is a bit intimidating. I use visual modes to help me remember specific motions, as
well as being resourceful with my laptop. For example, last week in senate chamber I didnt
know the power of a veto so I looked it up in the constitution Any veto by the Student Body
President may be overridden by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of not less than a quorum of the Senate
(Constitution of the Student Body 4). Luckily with a genre as casual as notes there are little to no
restrictions as long as my hand is moving I can be writing. Im the reader as well as the writer so
it doesnt have to be perfect. Notes help the community indirectly, they directly affect senators
knowledge so that we as representatives of the student body can make effective votes.
Now that weve established the properties of each genre in my genre ecology of the
Legislative branch community, we must identify how each genre and there conventions clearly
represents the communitys identity as a whole. I utilized an application, emails, Student Senate
Guide, Statutes, conferences, and notes as my genres to better explain the Legislative branch as a
community. An application as stated was an official formal text, with conventions like proper

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style and syntax expressed clearly in the short response questions. The application dealt directly
with new members and their acceptance into the community. Even the first step of the process to
be in Senate proves the professional aspect of the Student Government in its entirety. The
application is a series of integral questions that are used to judge an applicants character,
passion, and intelligence. SGA is a completely different application process, than say an athlete
applying to an umpire job. That application process would require physical endurance and skill.
While Student Government is more of a mental game. Next in my genre ecology process is the
official and formal genre, email, this genre proves not only the efficient use of communication
but also the time commitment and dedication needed to be a part of this community. With
conventions of subject dealing with the Legislative branch as a whole. We as senators receive
daily emails regarding legislative information and upcoming meetings. Those emails relay a
sense of time management needed to grow in the community. While the Student Senate Guide is
also an official and formal genre all while bringing an innovation aspect to the community. It
differs from a lot of the other genres because it includes aesthetically pleasing colors like garnet
and gold to keep the school unity theme of the student body, and several modes of visual
representation to be informative as well as engaging. In contrast the next genre of importance,
Statutes, purposeful and conventionally structured. Strictly government context, and thats the
whole point of this particular genre, it is simply to provide documentation of passed legislation.
The next genre is the use of conferences, an official formal verbal discussion that is primarily
based off of the linguistic mode. Even though its not a written genre like the others this gives a
primary source of information and identifies the community as an active government. Lastly, the
genre use of notes is an unofficial informal text unlike all the other genres that isnt shown to
anyone besides myself. Conventionally, notes can be presented however the author wants and

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has only a small identification to the community because its for personal knowledge and benefit.
All the genres individually have purposes but together compose a primarily professional
community called the Legislative branch in Student Government here at Florida State.
While the genres affect the community an immense amount, the individuals in the
community affect the genres as well. Its a community, so ideas opinions and perspectives
circulate, causing personal bias to hinder the genre a bit too. The people in the Legislative
community. For example in the senate remember how there are six primary committees ad
generally people with certain passions and personalities drive towards particular committees. I
myself am a type A person. I take charge as well as adapt well with people and have a right
brain innovation, so I chose to be a part of the student affairs committee. One that works in to be
a gateway between student government and student body. My type A personality generally
needs more visual representation rather than statistics and text. So I take more notes, and read the
Student Senate Guide more so than boring Statutes. Whereas someone thats more down to
procedure and law would enjoy the judiciary committee and need the Statutes to abide by.
Another example is the President of Senate Andrew Forst, someone who basically pre writes the
conference meeting minutes will take no notes during a senate conference because he is the one
leading it. Genres that are unofficial, meaning unnecessary to the community of the Legislative
branch will be used loosely because they are in fact not necessary or needed. In life, people will
take out what they put into a situation no matter what genres being used or the community
theyre in. One things for sure when evaluating genres and the affect they contribute to the
community as a whole, remember sometimes a person may learn more about themselves and the
way they contribute to a situation rather than just simply teaching about the genres and the
community they comprise.

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Lastly, in an effort to bring the genres of my community the Legislative branch to a close
we must look at the genre ecology as a whole and how the entirety of the contributions affect one
another. In each genre; application, email, Student Senate Guide, Statutes, conferences, and notes
they all have one thing in common, that is to be an assistance and aid in the goal of representing
the student body here at Florida State University. Even taking a look at the United States national
Senate, there ideals closely relate the ones present at FSU as clearly written debate on a crucial
national issue can still stimulate an impassioned and closely reasoned Senate speech designed to
sway listeners and attract votes on legislation (United States Senate 1). While previously stating
the differentiating conventions, modes, mediums, and resources used, ultimately each genre work
together in unison to get the Senate functioning effectively. Looking at the fluency of my genre
ecology theres a simple chronological process used to help the reader understand what its like
to be in the Legislative branch through the eyes of a senator. My genre ecology supports the
organizational and categorical aspect of the community in such a way that it makes readers
understand what Student Government is as a whole, to defining what my individual community
is in just the Legislative branch, as well as the genres that are used when composing the
community. I wrote the ecology in a way hoping my audience could relate to my journey from
the start as a normal student, to becoming a senator in my dream community. You too can make a
difference! John Swale once stated In a Senate or Parliament there may well exist overtly
adversarial groups of members, but these adversaries may broadly share some common objective
as striving for improved government (Swale 471). That just goes to show even class material
can be a source of opportunity. In the end, genres will never ultimately define a community, but
rather serve as an aid in construction of an effective working community.
Word Count: 4270

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Work Cited
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"Florida State University." Florida State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2015.
"Student Government Association." Student Government Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July
2015.
Welch, Katy. Personal interview. 22 Jul 2015.
Forst, Andrew. Personal interview. 21 Jul 2015.
Student Senate Guide. Tallahassee: Student Government Association, 2015. Print.
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 27 July 2015.
Florida State Student Body Statutes. (n.d.): n.d Page. Web. May 2015.
Th. UPDATED: MARCH, 2015 CONSTITUTION OF THE STUDENT BODY ARTICLE I
THE STUDENT BODY Section 1 NAME (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
"U.S. Senate." U.S. Senate. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2015.
Swale, John. The concept of discourse community. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.