Six pieces of legislation introduced despite communication difficulties during SGA meeting
SGA members vote to support modifications made to degree requirements by the Academic Senate during general board in the Bovee University Center Auditorium on March 26.
Six pieces of legislation was introduced and discussed for 45 minutes during the Student Government Association meeting March 26 in the Bovee University Center.
SGA introduced, discussed and tabled resolutions to:
- Implement a human trafficking awareness week the last week of January.
- Develop an application to track and report available parking on campus.
- Support default double-sided printing via PrintQ.
- Support the creation of a committee for Meatless Mondays on campus.
- Implement a fall break in Central Michigan University's academic calendar.
- Construction of a sidewalk on CMU's West campus to ensure pedestrian safety.
SGA house and senate prepared to introduce the six pieces of legislation during simultaneous meetings in different rooms on the top floor of the Bovee UC.
Six speakers took turns rotating from the Bovee UC Auditorium to Bovee UC room 307 to explain intended purpose behind the resolution they spoke for and to answer questions pertaining to it.
Senate Leader Caroline Murray planned to streamline the already constrained 60-minute period by using a single earbud to aid in communication with House Leader Drake Smarch, discussing only when one speaker was finished and another was to be sent on their way.
However, the house has a "no technology" policy in place, a rule disclosed to Murray by SGA President Anna Owens after 15 minutes of zero contact between house and senate leaders.
Owens became the liaison between house and senate through text.
With 45 minutes ticking down, introduction and discussion of legislation began.
Senator Ariel Salter authored a resolution to implement a human trafficking awareness week the last week of January.
"We are in the top 10 (human trafficking) states," she said. "I do realize there are events on campus that talk about this, (but) putting it all within a week it gives students numerous opportunities to talk about the topic."
Salter said she did not write the legislation with the intent to plan the week herself, but to push Registered Student Organizations and other groups on campus to plan events during the week.
Senator Lance Wood authored a resolution in support of the development of an application to track and report available parking on campus.
"During 2016-2018 senate tabling initiatives, the most frequent concern brought up by students was a difficulty in finding adequate parking spaces," Wood said.
Senator Alec Esparza authored legislation supporting a change in default printing settings for PrintQ. The piece supports double-sided prints as the program's default, rather than the current one-sided print.
Esparza said the option for one-sided printing would still be available and the intent of the legislation is to reduce paper cost for the university and paper use for students.
"The Office of Information and Technology is on board for this," he said. "We could get this set up within the summer."
SGA's Sustainability Committee authored legislation to support the creation of a committee for Meatless Mondays on campus.
Sustainability Committee Chair Brendan Mantey said past legislation regarding Meatless Mondays hasn't been implemented because students wanted to immediately make the change in all residential restaurants on campus, something he said was too ambitious.
Instead, the legislation considers a committee that would make one Meatless Monday for one residential restaurant each month and grow the iniative from there.
Senator Makenzie Morales helped explain.
"We've had some faculty say they'd be on (the committee)," she said, adding students have shown interest as well. "We're thinking about starting in Robinson. They seem to be the most progressive."
SGA's Academic Affairs Committee wrote legislation supporting the implementation of a fall break in CMU's academic calendar. The piece is intended to improve students' mental health and align the university's academic calendar with other peer institutions.
Holland senior Brandy Bale authored legislation in support of the creation of a sidewalk on CMU's West campus.
The resolution states: "There is currently not a sidewalk along the stretch of West Campus Drive between the roads of Preston and Broomfield. This poses great threats to pedestrians along this stretch of road."
The organization's general board meeting included a presentation by Student Budget Allocation Committee Chair Matthew Boak and Academic Affairs Committee Chair Morgan Clark. The pair explained changes to degree requirements proposed by Academic Senate — all of which reduced credit hours necessary to graduate from 124 to 120.
Members supported the credit hour reduction and voted on modified versions of the proposals.
Representatives of CMU's baseball team made a cameo during general board as well, with Head Coach Steve Jaksa asking members to support the baseball team by attending home games during the upcoming season.
The six pieces of legislation were tabled until next week's SGA meeting, where they will be voted upon.
