ASUCD Senate meetings are scheduled to begin Thursdays at 6:10 p.m. Times listed are according to the clock at the Jan. 14 meeting location, the Memorial Union’s Mee Room.
Meeting called to order at 6:10 p.m.
Joe Chatham, ASUCD president, absent
Chris Dietrich, ASUCD vice president, present
Abrham Castillo-Ruiz, ASUCD senator, present
Joemar Clemente, ASUCD senator, arrived late
Justin Gold, ASUCD senator, present
Don Ho, ASUCD senator, present
Joel Juarez, ASUCD senator, present
Andre Lee, ASUCD president pro-tempore, present
Levi Menovske, ASUCD senator, present
Kevin Massoudi, ASUCD senator, present
Bree Rombee, ASUCD senator, present
Shawdee Rouhafza, ASUCD senator, present
Trevor Taylor, ASUCD senator, present
Previn Witana, ASUCD senator, present
Appointments and Confirmations
The senate approved Joey Chen, Russell Manning, Jeyzree Ramachandran and Julia Smekalina to the Internal Affairs Commission (IAC).
The senate approved Amaan Shaikh, Jessica Jaswal and Christopher Jew to the Academic Affairs Commission (AAC).
Public Discussion
Jackie Limon, AAC chair announced that she will be resigning as chair to focus on her studies. She will remain a member of the AAC but the commission will be holding interviews for a new chair within the next week.
Rouhafza and Gold discussed their preliminary ideas for publicizing BloodSource in a large, eight hour event with politicians, university representatives and FDA officials.
Lee announced that the ASUCD Blood and Marrow Drive will be held Jan. 27.
Will Klein of the Campus Center for the Environment (CCE) announced that zero-waste kits for club event use are available through the Student Government Association Office (SGAO) in ASUCD. Klein also announced that the MU will be working with the Silo to compost waste, while recycling and e-waste bin design competitions will be held between the dorms. The organic chemistry 8 series classes will also be helping CCE turn waste oil from the dining commons into biodiesel for the student farm.
Consideration of Old Legislation
Senate Bill 22, authored by Sergio Cano of the IAC and introduced by the IAC, to implement the Long-Range plan for Lobby Corps, was passed unanimously.
Senate Bill 29, authored by ASUCD Controller Eli Yani, to allocate funding from Capital Reserves to purchase three computers for Picnic Day, was passed unanimously.
Urgent Legislation
Senate Bill 27, authored by former senator Justin Patrizio, to allocate funds from Senate Reserves to fund room reservations for FAFSA workshops during ASUCD Financial Aid Awareness Week, was passed unanimously.
An Urgent Senate Bill to allocate $12,000 from Capital Reserves to the Breastfeeding Support Program to maintain lactation stations for women students, staff and faculty, was passed unanimously.
Elected Officer Reports
Lee announced that though making Picnic Day zero waste is not entirely feasible, Picnic Day will need to be audited this year. Lee stated that they will be working with the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) and Whole Earth Festival, among other groups to make Picnic Day a greener event. The portable toilets will be contracted to have their waste turned to fertilizer.
Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
ARNOLD LAU compiles the senate briefs. He can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
