The Vandal Fight Song opened the first ASUI senate meeting of the semester Wednesday, where senators shared their goals and passed three bills deemed necessary for a smooth start to the semester.
ASUI President Max Cowan said this year’s senate brings a lot to the table.
“I think that this senate has the opportunity to do a really great job in terms of planning and organizing how they are going to work together,” Cowan said. “They can create long term goals and effectively accomplish tasks that the students require of them.”
ASUI Vice President Taylor Williams led the meeting and introduced the first three bills of the semester to the floor.
“The first provided for living groups for each of the senators,” Cowan said. “The second appointed them to their respective committees and the third removed the requirement that we film senate meetings, instead providing that we put the senate meeting minutes online, which allows accessibility but saves the students money.”
The senate passed all three bills unanimously.
Senator Nate Fisher said the bills were procedural for the beginning of the school year to organize the areas of representation for the senate members.
“We weren’t initially planning on taking a look at them today,” Fisher said. “But I am glad that we decided to immediately consider them. I think that they are completely necessary.”
The remainder of the meeting set the academic year in motion by outlining the goals of the senators and setting the standard of communication between students and the executive and legislative branches of ASUI.
Senator Hunter Howell said the meeting was successful because it formally united new and returning senators by exchanging ideas on collective goals.
“One of our goals is to really get ASUI connected with the students, make them aware of what we’re doing and make ourselves aware of what they want,” Howell said. “Communication and connection is a big thing for us.”
Senator Grady Hepworth said a main focus of his is ensuring UI policies are putting students first by making sensible procedures in regards to safety in the campus community.
“I want to make sure that we make our campus safer and really enhance personal responsibility, student responsibility and responsible behavior,” Grady said. “And we want to do that in a number of different capacities.”
Senate meetings will be held at 7 p.m. every Wednesday in the Idaho Commons Whitewater room and are open to the public.
Amber Emery can be reached at [email protected]