ASUA looks to end semester with number of resolutions (Notebook 3/13/19)

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona met March 13 to discuss the writing of a number of resolutions, approve funding for student clubs and plan a number of outreach activities.

Planned Resolutions

In two weeks, the Senate will vote to adopt a resolution focused on ensuring affordable textbooks and educational resources for students.

“There is a big concern with textbook affordability across campus and how we monitor that as a school,” said Brennen Feder, senator for the College of Education.

The resolution, introduced to the Senate by Feder, is comprised of four pillars.

The resolution calls on UA instructors to submit their required textbooks to the UA Bookstore, use lower-cost open educational resources, utilize online databases and a monitoring system to be created to hold professors accountable.

“Some professors write their own textbook material and then require students to purchase it. There needs to be some regulation,” Feder said.

Noah Huang, senator for the College of Fine Arts, plans to introduce a resolution on mental health to the Senate in coming weeks.

Huang also plans to engage students at upcoming campus events to get their feedback on ASUA.

“It is nice to get feedback from students about ASUA and forward that on to the next senators,” Huang said.

The Senate also discussed drafting a resolution in support of “I Will” week, a week of campus events aimed at eliminating rape culture at the UA.

Club Funding

The Senate voted to approve the distribution of over $8,000 to campus clubs appropriated by the ASUA Appropriations Board.

Some of this funding will help UA’s Model United Nations club travel to a conference at the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as buy club t-shirts for UA’s Minority Association of Premedical Students.

ASUA has over $31,000 left to distribute to officially recognized clubs.

Upcoming Election and Events

ASUA executive vice president Matthew Rein addressed the Senate on upcoming ASUA elections and the lack of competitive races and candidates.

“We have a very quality crop of candidates this year and often times the quality of individuals is so much more important than the quantity,” Rein said.

Students can vote for their future ASUA senators and executives online during the March 25 and 26 election. Wednesday, March 20, students can ask ASUA Senate candidates questions at an official election event in the Kiva Room of the Student Union Memorial Center.

Campus Closet, an initiative launched this year by Katie Christopher, senator for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, held its first distribution day, giving students with need access to donated professional clothing.

After the distributions success, Christopher is planning to organize two more distribution days at Student Engagement and Career Development this semester and continue to collect donations from students in the ASUA offices and elsewhere on campus.

Campus Pantry, which provides students with access to food, received a grant to hire two more employees and purchase additional resources to serve students, thanks to the work of Sedona Lynch, senator for the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Karitza Davila, senator for the College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture, informed the Senate of her successful initiative to place healthy food options in the vending machines around her college. Davila encouraged other senators to create similar initiatives in their colleges.

Feder also encouraged the Senate to stay involved on campus by participating in Spring Fling and in an upcoming veteran event on the UA Mall.

Check back with the Daily Wildcat next week for continued coverage of ASUA, including the upcoming election.

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