The Associated Students of the University of Arizona, the university’s undergraduate student governing body, met on Wednesday, Dec. 1 to discuss the library providing free snacks during finals week.
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. and adjourned at 7:31 p.m. The senate gathered in the Mesquite Room of the Student Union Memorial Center and over Zoom.
According to ASUA’s post-meeting minutes, no senators were marked absent during roll call. This was the first time every single person was in attendance this semester.
Finals Week Snacks
Noah Vega, ASUA student body president, announced that the Main Library will be providing complimentary snacks and refreshments for students studying there during finals week.
He said that from Dec. 9-15 they will hand out food from 8-11 p.m. Food items like granola bars, cookies and fruit will be provided to students at no cost. It will be catered from the Student Union Memorial Center.
“It’s going to change every single night. One day we’ll be handing out cookies or another it’ll be granola bars, but every single day we will be giving out fruit, so if you want a healthy option, you can choose that as well,” Vega said.
In addition to that, there will be beverages like lemonade, coffee and hot chocolate for students while they are there.
Vega discussed the matter with University President Dr. Robert C. Robbins, who was fully supportive of the idea. Robbins offered to ensure that the cost is covered by his office, no matter how much it is.
They are catering for around 600 people and are still waiting for a quote on the price for the snacks.
This is the first time a program like this will be put on.
“We’re focused on the library and that’s where it started from. … When you want to get some type of refreshments [late at night] the only option you have is water or some vending machine option,” Vega said. “I think seeing people hand out food gives that jolt of energy you need sometimes.”
UAZ Divest Update
Kyle Kline, ASUA administrative vice president, said that he and Vega met with the Arizona Foundation for an update on the UAZ Divest resolution. The foundation anticipates that they will not be able to divest until 2029 now.
RELATED: UAZ Divest challenges UA’s $64 million investment in fossil fuels
The UAZ Divest resolution originally called for the University of Arizona Foundation to completely divest from fossil fuels by 2025. The resolution further called on UA leadership to strengthen “sustainable and socially conscious … investment strategies and partnerships” through a new and distinct “socially responsible investment fund” and the inclusion of student voices in the UA Foundation.
“How their investments are set is that [there] is stuff that goes back until 2014 that will end in 2024. The university is willing to let those fizzle but not set a hard date,” he said.
Kline also said that the foundation wants to stress that they don’t intend on divesting in fossil fuels, not that they won’t divest in fossil fuels. If they were to set a hard date of divesting by 2024, the university would lose around $20 million.
Notable Mention
The senate was briefed on the Office of Sustainability’s plan to start a campus thrift store by CJ Agbannawag, sustainability program coordinator. This program closely aligns with the senate’s idea to start a thrift store, which he recently heard about.
The senate briefly discussed the idea of starting a campus thrift store during a previous meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17. They brought up the idea as a way to prevent furniture left in the dorms from going to waste.
He said that they have been in communication with the Student Recreation Center, facilities waste management and Housing & Residential Life about the idea. It is still largely in formation; they need to find funding and a location among other details, according to Agbannawag.
The thrift store would contain both textile and furniture donations.
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