SGA passes sexual violence resolution
After an intense session in the House, the Student Government Association passed the resolution to support stricter sanctions for sexual violence on campus by a vote of 57 to 28.
Of the house members present, 18 of them chose to abstain from voting.
At one point, a member from Spectrum motioned for a suspension of House rules, which would allow all in the audience, including non-voting members of the crowd, to speak. The results were somewhat chaotic, which ended up in a re-instatement of the rules soon after.
Although the resolution was passed, many in the House still felt it needed improvement. Crystal Pendergrass, co-head of the Governmental Affairs Committee, considered voting on the resolution redundant considering up and coming Title IX voting, which would be taking place on Nov. 10.
Pendergrass said the Harvard study cited, “repeat rape and multiple offending among undetected rapists,” was an “outdated” but “valid study”.
Senator Brynn McDonnell, author of the bill, said she was happy to see the legislation pass, despite some resistance. McDonnell is also a columnist for Central Michigan Life.
“My goal was to get (the resolution) passed,” McDonnell said. “The next step is to present it to President (Charles) Mahone. If he passes it and says that the student body supports the resolution, then it’s up to the university after that to see if they’re up to passing it and instituting it as CMU policy.”
Although there have been vocal complaints stating that the resolution could silence the voices of survivors in regards to the fate of their abusers, McDonnell said she has received hundreds of emails applauding her for her efforts.
She added that after the Monday meeting, a sexual assault survivor came up and hugged her, thanking McDonnell for all the work that she has put into the bill.
“Regardless as to what some nay-sayers may say, I have received overwhelming support (for the resolution),” she said. “This is not only an issue to help survivors, but to make campus a safer place for men, women, whomever.”
Overall, SGA President Chuck Mahone is proud of the House for finally reaching a consensus on the resolution even if it was with some struggle.
“I think that (resistance) shows that the bill itself has a few fallacies, but the (governmental) body itself overlooked those,” he said.
From here, SGA plans on presenting the bill to President Ross. The current CMU policy on rape calls for the minimum punishments of individuals found guilty of sexual assault with penetration to be suspended rather than expelled. Supporters hope that through such action, the university itself will consider on changing the present standing sexual assault policy.
