SGA passes voting, sustainability legislation at Oct. 1 meeting
Resolutions will encourage student voting, pizza box composting
Central Michigan University Student Government Association passed two pieces of legislation Monday evening.
SGA voted in support of legislation to make it easier for students to go home to vote.
Drafted by the Campus Vote Coalition, the resolution encourages professors to avoid scheduling any big exams or presentations on Election Day and to excuse absences for students who miss class to vote.
"A Resolution to Support a Statement Encouraging Excused Absences for Students who are Voting and the Suspension of Exams, Presentations and Major In-Class Projects on Election Day" was passed by both the House and the Senate on Monday, Oct. 1.
The resolution states some students may have class schedules on Election Day that make it difficult to find time to vote, which may deter them from voting altogether.
"Both as a house member and governmental affairs committee chair, I find this incredibly important," said Berkley senior Ashlyn Conrad. "It’s going to be great for students to have that backup, and professors will have a bit of an extra push to get students to be able to vote."
While this legislation will not force professors to excuse their students on Election Day, it will encourage them to plan schedules so students won't miss important exams while they travel home to vote.
"Because this (legislation) has support of both SGA and academic senate, we’re hoping it carries a bit of weight," Conrad said.
Academic Senate voted in support of the Campus Vote Project Resolution on Sept. 11.
"(The resolution) is sort of a compromise between students and faculty," said SGA President Jake Hendricks. "Students want to vote, but faculty want to teach. Eventually we'd like to have voting day off for students, but we think this is a good compromise."
SGA also voted in support of "A Resolution to Support a Pizza Box Composting System on Campus," which encourages residence halls to install pizza box composting systems.
The resolution is sponsored by the Student Environment Alliance and Take Back the Tap.
House Clerk Spencer Betts said this resolution could not only have an impact on campus, but on the greater Mount Pleasant community.
"If this goes through, I can see this as a potential for pizza companies in the community to be more sustainable," he said. "Do we want to just change policies at Central, or can we make this more of a community policy?"
The resolution was authored by SGA Treasurer Chase Delor. He explained at the Sept. 24 Senate meeting that if it were passed, it would not drastically change the day-to-day for Facilities Management.
Building Management staff would be assigned to check the composting bins three days a week, and funding would be fully absorbed by Facilities Management. The design would consist of wooden slats and hygienic lining.
Additional business
The tampons that were ordered for the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative arrived on Monday, Oct. 1, according to SGA Press Secretary Nick Latuszek. SGA Executive Board approved the purchase of $1,500 worth of tampons in September.
The operation began on Tueday, Oct. 2. Free tampons will be provided all semester in four women's restrooms: one in the Bovee University Center, the Student Activities Center, Charles V. Park Library and the Student Government Association office on the first floor of Bovee.
A student body town hall is scheduled for 7 p.m., Nov. 15 in the Park Library Auditorium, according to an SGA press release statement. This event will allow students to voice their concerns and ask any questions to a panel of SGA leaders.
Student unable to attend the town hall may submit questions online and watch the live-stream on the CMU Student Government Association Facebook page.
