ASUA Senate tackles diversity housing among other items at its weekly Wednesday meeting with Sen. Scott Rising’s resolution on UA Residence Life’s proposed new housing options such as gender-inclusive housing and an LGBTQ -themed wing.
In a resolution to the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, Rising noted that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning section of campus totals an estimated 10 percent and amongst concerns of limited housing options.
“”Creating a safe living space for LGBTQ students is a forward step towards creating a more inclusive environment at The University of Arizona,”” Rising’s resolution states, asking the senate to take a positive stance on the issue.
A Pride Alliance presentation by Rising will precede the resolution vote.
The Women’s Resource Center, which works heavily with LGBTQ affairs on campus and Pride Alliance, is also presenting at the meeting. The center has one of its largest events of the fall semester, Sex-Ed College Style day, coming up later in November.
A scholarship presentation also will be given at the meeting, following approval of the ASUA Appropriations Board consent agenda.
The board which delineates money each week out of the senate’s club funding budget to requests made by clubs, allocated $5,685.26 this week, bringing the total of money given to clubs nearly $40,000, or nearly 30 percent of the $143,000 available for club funding during the school year.
Near Eastern Studies Undergraduate Organization got full funding for its off-campus room rental for “”The Hefla”” a Middle Eastern themes food and entertainment event. Stocks and Securities Investments Club got three-quarters of the money they asked for from the board for attending the Las Vegas Traders Expo later this month, to cover some hotel and registration costs.
The New Abolitionists Club, which advocates against human trafficking, asked for aid in creating a community banner but had no representation at the meeting and had their request delayed to be considered at the next meeting.
SPRITE, a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied student organization, requested full money for T-shirts, but by ASUA bylaws only half of that amount could be given by appropriations board.
S.M.O.R.E.S, a sophomore honorary had no representatives arrive for the meeting and got their application for money for T-shirts pushed until next meeting.
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán, or MeChA, was fully approved for UA Mall and classroom rentals, but was denied funds for its politically motivated shirts, which violated ASUA bylaws, to be used at the 19th annual Youth Empowerment Conference at the UA.
The Muslim Student Association requested funding for “”Fast-a-thon 2010″” but due to a lack of copies of receipts, the board rejected money for decorations.
