The Associated Students of the University of Arizona, UA’s student government, discussed their upcoming election, Arizona Students’ Association and reviewed funding requests.  

Election

Candidates for ASUA’s upcoming election were recently released, with many candidates running unopposed. 

“Since a lot of the at-large and college specific [candidates] are running unopposed, please reach out to them to make the transition period much easier. If they have questions, help them out,” College of Engineering Senator Madeline Melichar said. 

          RELATED: ASUA cancels primary election citing low number of candidates

Arizona Students’ Association

Marlon Freeman, the ASUA election commissioner, invited ASUA senators to attend the Arizona Students’ Association’s LobbyCon conference. LobbyCon gives students the opportunity to lobby state representatives regarding higher education issues. 

Freeman stressed that those attending the conference would be lobbying against bills that negatively impact students, such as House Bill 2523. The bill would allow employers to pay the federal minimum wage to part-time student workers, which is lower than Arizona’s minimum wage. 

Funding Requests

Planned Parenthood Generation Action requested funding for a resource pharmacy pilot program. PPGen is an organization on campus that advocates for reproductive freedom.

“It’ll be a pharmacy where we can give sexual and hygienic resources for free,” said PPGen member and pre-physiology student Keely Davis. 

Davis said the pharmacy will include pads, tampons, dental dams and condoms. 

PPGen anticipates putting the resource pharmacy in one dorm at each price point, starting in April. They’ll survey students at the end of the semester to gauge how successful the program is. 

Davis asked for funding not to exceed $500 for promotional flyers. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Senator Katie Christopher suggested funding some of the items that will be included in the pharmacy. 

The request was tabled until after spring break. 

          RELATED: ASUA discusses concerns over new Student Success District

The “I Will” campaign requested $1,500 for an honorarium for Leilani Clark to speak at the UA in April. Both the campaign and the event aim to bring awareness to sexual assault and rape culture. ASUA senators unanimously approved the request. 

The appropriations board approved funding requests from the Charles Darwin Experience, the Saint Thomas More Catholic Newman Center, Primus freshman honorary, SMORES sophomore honorary, the UA Rube Goldberg club and the Vietnamese Student Association, totaling over $4,000. ASUA has just under $40,000 remaining in their budget. 

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