Four new bills and a resolution occupied Student Senate duringmore than half of Tuesday afternoon’s meeting.
Dedman II Senator Adam Hill wrote two bills discussed on thefloor yesterday. They first requested $1,290 for the SMU Lacrosseteam. According to the bill, the team “has been one of themost successful club sports team at the University in recentyears.” During the spring budget process, the club received$600, only part of the total requested. The team now wants theremaining $1,290 to pay referee dues because “unless thesedues are paid, the team will not be able to play thisseason.”
Hill also authored a bill to fund $3,315 for the printing of anew student publication, Hilltopica. According to the bill,the new weekly publication will feature “commentaries andopinions concerning issues germane to the SMU community,”including opinion columns, satirical news coverage, essays, adviceto students and administrators and reviews of books and movies. The$3,315 will go toward 26 editions, 10 in the fall and 16 in thespring. Hill said he and the founding seven students are workingwith David Doyle, the director of the University Honors Program, tofacilitate distribution and content.
Engineering Senator Rafael Alvarez authored two more bills. Thefirst asked Senate to fund $2,055 for shirts “to promoteprograms to get students informed, registered and motivated tovote.” The bill explained the shirts help promote at leastfive various voting-oriented events. Alvarez asked that StudentSenate suspend the rules requiring a bill to change from “newbusiness” to “old business” over a week’stime so the T-shirts could be printed in time for the first event,”Rock the Boulevard.”
In a split vote, Senate agreed to vote on the bill after debate.In another split vote with one abstention, Senate passed the bill.Alvarez wrote in the legislation that “SMU students will wearthis shirt with pride.”
Alvarez also authored a bill to fund the environmental committee$466 for its Boulevard recycling program. The bill requested Senatepay for recycling boxes, labels and other supplies, as well as amembership to the College and University Recycling Council of theRecycling Alliance of Texas. Senate did not discuss the bill.
The Finance Committee withheld its recommendation for anotherappeal from the environmental committee for $20 for supplies andlabels to continue its “Single-Stream RecyclingProgram.” Taylor Russ, chair of the finance committee, saidthe committee continued to worry about the process of loaning theequipment out for use. The environmental committee asked forscissors, hammers and an all-in-one staple gun. Alex Prima, theappropriations committee chair, said the appropriations committeerecommended to fund in full an $84 request from the environmentalcommittee for labels, Velcro and glue.
Student Body Secretary Gabe Travers introduced a resolution tocommend Vice President Morgan Olsen “for his outstandingservice” to the university. The resolution detailed theaccomplishments of the vice president. Travers wrote, “theSMU Student Senate, on behalf of the Students’ Association,commends Dr. Morgan R. Olsen for his outstanding service andcommitment to Southern Methodist University and wishes him the bestin his new position.”
Student Body President Chip Hiemenz and Student Trustee ThomasKincaid both expressed their complete support for the resolution.Senate passed it unanimously.
Hiemenz also recommended five new senators, Max Roberts torepresent the Cox School of Business, Reid Varner to represent theschool of engineering, Rose Ibrahim to represent Meadows School ofthe Arts, and Lyndsey Hummert and Jennifer McNichols to representDedman II. The Senate approved the president’s nominations ina split vote.
Hiemenz updated Senate on the campus safety committee. SMUPolice Chief Mike Snellgrove and Hiemenz continue to encouragestudents to become more involved with the Hilltop Watch program.Hiemenz said it was important the students and senators take aninterest in campus safety. “Most safety is reactive,”he said. “We want to be proactive and get a lot of studentsinvolved.”
Student Body Vice President Liz Healy echoed thepresident’s encouragement to get more students involved.
On The Docket
This week Senate voted to approve:
• A Resolution to commend Vice President Morgan Olsen forhis outstanding service
• A bill to fund $2,055 for T-shirts designed to promoteprograms to get students informed, registered and motivated tovote
Next week, Senate will to vote to approve or disapprove:
• A bill to fund $3,315 for the printing ofHilltopica, a new student publication
• A bill to fund $1,290 to the SMU Lacrosse Club forreferee dues
• A bill to fund the environmental committee $466 for itsBoulevard recycling program
