BY CORIE LYNN
In a meeting with less business than usual, the Fort Hays State University Student Government Association spent their evening addressing new and old bills.
During their weekly student senate meeting on Thursday, the organization heard four new bills regarding funding for student organizations and the appointment of students to the Educational Opportunity Fund Committee.
The senators then voted on two additional bills.
The first was for a line item change to the Black Student Union funding, allowing them to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need. Representatives of the BSU explained this follows the organization’s semester goal of community support.
“We’re giving [nonperishable food items] to families we’ll sponsor so they have something to put on the table,” a BSU representative told the student senators.
In addition to this line item change, the student senators voted on a bill appointing four students to the University Student and Faculty Court.
All four nominees were present at the meeting and spoke on why they were the right students for the appointment.
One nominee, Cindy Maldenado, told the Student Senate she wanted to “give back to, not just the community, but Fort Hays as well.”
The student senators then passed both bills.
Though the bulk of the meeting was spent reading and voting on bills, the executive staff and a few committee representatives gave short reports.
President Haley Reiter stated that the Student Emergency Assistance Fund distributed another award this week. However, the fund is beginning to run low, but the committee will continue to meet and distribute in the meantime.
Reiter also reported the President’s Cabinet is working to establish free, online test proctoring for students.
“There’s not a rollout date [for it], but hopefully by finals time,” she said.
Vice President Bryson Homman and Treasurer David Schulte both had short reports, the former reminding the group that there are many student senate seats still open to applicants and the later stating the Spring allocations form has opened.
The last executive report came from Legislative Affairs Director Crystal Rojas. Having spent the semester preparing for the Nov. 3 election and mobilizing students for voter initiatives, she used her report to thank all who helped in the months prior.
In addition, she reminded the senators students can sign up for free legal counseling on Tiger Tracks and then informed them she did meet with the University Value Committee earlier in the week.
Representatives of the General Education, Memorial Union Policy Board and Allocations committees then gave brief reports.
Representing Gen. Ed. Committee, Sen. Isaiah Schindler said the group reviewed and tabled Introduction to Geology and Introduction to Geology Lab.
Sen. Ryan Stanley, representing both the Memorial Union Policy Board and the Allocations Committee, reported the former group discussed subcommittees while the latter finalized dates and approved guidelines for the upcoming allocations process.
With no other discussion, the student senate concluded. The group will reconvene Thu, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m.