The SGA met on Wednesday, Dec. 4 to discuss a total of thirteen pieces of legislation.
Act 6, sponsored by senator Olivia Bellar, proposed the maximum sponsors of legislation be changed from two to three.
Senator Chris Tablack responded to the bill by saying he fears “senators will get lazy” and write less legislation, which will lead to a “less productive senate.”
The act failed because it did not receive a two-thirds vote.
Senator Sam Hall proposed resolution eight, which was later passed. It aims to install security cameras along Castle Heights, Eriksson, and Sevier halls to promote “peace and safety” on campus.
Tablack said he approved of the measure, however, he said that cameras should also be established around Blount and Harvill Hall because, according to him, the areas are “more active at night.”
Senator Lauren Lynch sponsored resolution nine to investigate the mold problem in the basement of Trahern. The bill was passed.
Resolution ten, sponsored by Lauren Williams, aims to send a formal recommendation to the physical plant to cut down a tree by a stop sign near Hand Village because the tree makes it “hard to see people when they’re crossing.”
Senator Brena Andring proposed resolution eleven, which seeks to provide printers in the offices of R.A.s and R.H.D.s.
Senator Zach Inman added that this wouldn’t go into effect until at least the summer because, according to Inman, that’s when the housing department renews their budget.
Senator Keyana Peebles submitted resolution twelve to establish one to two bus stops for the Peay Pickup, one on Marian Street and the other near the Trahern lot. The resolution passed.
Senator Amany Elraheb sponsored resolution thirteen to ask the sustainable fees committee to keep developing a bike share program. Elraheb said it is “a great program that we need on campus.”
According to Elraheb, many students have asked her about getting bikes to rent for transportation on campus. The current bike rental system through the Foy is “prohibitively expensive,” according to Senator Chris Hayes.
According to Dean Singleton, the project is a “huge undertaking” that people are hesitant to sponsor. Senator Jed Dugger asked if the SGA could sponsor it and Singleton responded that the responsibility would fall to him.
“I don’t have the time,” Singleton said. Dugger concluded that the issue needs to be investigated more.
Tablack added that “nobody knows” about the current bike rental program and that the proposed legislation is “not going to do anything” for the situation.
Tablack then motioned to table the bill, which was approved by the senate.
Senator Taylor Gaston proposed resolution fourteen which asks for more gluten free options on campus so that people with Celiac’s disease don’t feel isolated and have a “wider variety of options” for food. The measure was passed.
Resolution fifteen, sponsored by senator Baylee Farrar, aimed to extend the hours of the Woodward Library during midterm and finals weeks.
Tablack said that the funding for this would be a problem and also that student workers and G.A.s are restricted to hours worked during the week, so that keeping the library open for longer amounts of time would be difficult.
According to Hayes, during exam weeks the number of students present at the library drops. Elraheb agreed and said that the bill would be a “huge waste of money.”
The bill failed, with only two senators in favor.
The next four pieces of legislation were read but not voted on. Inman motioned to extend Robert’s Rules to vote on the legislation, but the motion was turned down.
Acts seven and eight aims to subject both the legislative and the executive branch to the same amount of absences (three per semester). The acts were both sponsored by Senators Austin Boyd and Caitlyn Linden.
Senators Inman and Andring proposed Resolution sixteen to repair the sidewalk between the UC and the Honors Commons.
Resolution seventeen seeks to send a formal recommendation to APSU’s environmental health to make sure that all hand sanitizer dispensers remain filled throughout the school year.
Senators India Fain and Alyssa Tobin proposed the resolution to “assist in preventing student illness which in turn decreases student absences.”
Senator Jed Dugger was recognized as the member of the month of November.
