Ohio University Student Senate unanimously voted in favor of a bill asking the university to address the needs of international, immigrant and undocumented students at its meeting Wednesday night.
The bill calls for OU to support students regardless of immigration status. That includes updating the harassment policy to include citizenship status as a protected category and not sharing students’ and faculty’s immigration information with authorities unless legally obligated to do so.
A bill in regard to preserving The Ridges Green Space failed because some members would like the university to offer housing for graduate students at The Ridges.
The bill cited environmental concerns as well as The Ridges’ “social, aesthetic, and historical value to the Athens Community” as reasons to oppose development of The Ridges for housing for graduate students.
“We have to respect the history of this town,” Environmental Affairs Commissioner Sarah Pinter, the primary sponsor of the bill, said. “This is a critical habitat for wildlife. This is going to be detrimental to the forest that remains.”
Graduate College Senator Mitchell Smith and International Affairs Vice-Commissioner Amal Afyouni said additional housing would be helpful for graduate students.
“I’m all for Green Space, but I’m also for people who pay far more than we do as undergraduates to continue their education,” Afyouni said.
The university has already begun the process of reconsidering the development of The Ridges Green Space, Pinter said.
Another bill, one calling for greater accountability and transparency from University Standing Committees, passed.
“This is more of a blanket statement,” Chief of Staff Landen Lama, a sponsor of the bill, said. “Committees are not operating properly. I urge you all to pass this.”
A copy of the bill will be sent to university officials whose employment or voluntary positions pertain to the bill, including OU interim President David Descutner, incoming OU President Duane Nellis and Faculty Senate Chair Joe McLaughlin.
The body also continued a previous discussion about the Bobcat Readership Program. Members voted to keep only paper copies of The New York Times. The Buzz news app and free copies of USA Today will no longer be provided to students.
The body passed two resolutions and four budgets in addition to the three bills.
The resolutions were to establish a commission on regional campus affairs and to appoint members to the Senator Emeritus Committee.
The budgets were to fund Finals Fest, gifts for graduating members, the transition meeting on April 19 and to co-fund Queer Prom.
The new body will be sworn in next week.
“Next week will be my last report, so I’ll save the sappy notes for that,” Student Senate President Hannah Clouser said.
