AS Student Senate update graphic PJ Heusted // AS Review
By PJ Heusted
The Associated Students Student Senate met on Wednesday, Jan. 20 for their fourth meeting of the 2020-21 academic year.
Black Student Organizations Demand Updates
Senate Pro-tempore Sargun Handa shared updates about the creation of an AS Constitutional Task Force in collaboration with the AS President Abdul Malik Ford. The task force will consist of Handa, Ford and at least one member from both the AS Executive Board and AS Student Senate with the goal of taking an in-depth look at the AS Constitution and making relevant changes and updates to it.
Senators for the College of the Environment Laura Wagner and Francis Neff met with the Dean of the College of the Environment Dr. Steve Hollenhorst to review the hiring processes and curriculum within the college to gauge progress being made to meet BSO demands in those areas.
Handa additionally shared that Western President Sabah Randhawa tasked herself and Ford to each appoint a member from their governing bodies to the Legacy Review Task Force to review the names of campus buildings and make a specific recommendation regarding a change to the name of the Huxley College of the Environment.
Senator for the College of Fine and Performing Arts Aidyn Stevens shared that she will be participating in a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force created for the college. She said that the current goal of the task forces appears to be focused on recruitment instead of retention and she hopes to help keep the task force focused on BSO demands.
Constitutional Amendment
Handa presented a proposal for an amendment to the AS Constitution to follow up the referendum that students voted 88% in favor of during fall elections.
The constitutional amendment would officially move student senate elections to the spring, but it needs to be voted on by students before the move can be approved.
The final amendment that will appear on ballots reads: “Do you approve the proposed language, ‘Student Senate elections shall be held during spring quarter. Terms begin on the Saturday of spring commencement and end the Friday of spring finals week after one academic year. Election results shall be acknowledged by the Executive Board,” in the AS Constitution?”
The senate voted unanimously to approve this language to appear on the ballot.