A quick yoga session kicked off the ASUI Senate meeting Wednesday night.
In addition to yoga practice, the senate also discussed elections updates, virtual living groups and the ASUI Student Dispute Advocates.
ASUI Senate passed a bill creating virtual living groups to update harder-to-reach students. Senators split up to meet with living groups around campus, such as Wallace Residence Center and Greek Houses to update the groups about events on campus and solicit feedback about ASUI actions. According to the bill, virtual living groups will help ASUI better represent off-campus living groups. The bill includes a sunset clause, forcing the senate to revisit the policy by the end of the semester or else the policy will be automatically removed.
“At the beginning of each semester, when the living group bill is written and voted on, that would also include the mode of broadcast for the living group,” Pro-tempore Jordan Kizer said.
The senate also passed a bill updating how ASUI elections are run. Now, the mandatory candidate meeting will occur before the candidates gather the signatures required to be on the ballot. The update makes the campaign time frame three weeks long. Candidates will gather signatures during the first week and campaign during the next two.
The bill also prohibits campaign material from campus during the week of the election. The candidates must remove election materials by 8 p.m. Sunday, according to the bill.
Another bill passed Wednesday reduced the responsibilities of ASUI Student Dispute Advocates to reduce the advocates’ liability. The advocates are second and third year law students who defend students’ rights according to the ASUI rules and regulations. Advocates will now be required to refer students to local legal aid about tenant problems and will no longer assist students in mediations regarding tenant issues.
Next Wednesday, ASUI will consider a bill that would grant senators a weekly budget of $5 to buy prizes to engage their living groups. The prizes may be at most $5 per living group every week and aims to increase engagement and interest in living groups.
The senate will also consider a resolution in memoriam of Keegan Felton, a University of Idaho student who died last month.
Kali Nelson can be reached at [email protected]
Also at the meeting:
- Passed: A bill to clarify the process for all ASUI Senate legislation
- Update: More furniture is on the way for the new student lounge in the Commons
- Passed: Make a Difference Day is now ASUI’s new philanthropy event for fall 2017