Ohio University Student Senate will vote on two bills in reaction to President Donald Trump’s immigration ban at the body’s meeting Wednesday night.
Trump’s executive order, which bars immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days, has the potential to directly affect international students at OU, International Affairs Senator Christian Givens said.
One bill asks that OU be designated as a sanctuary campus, which means that the university would not disclose information about the immigration status of students, faculty and staff without a court order.
If the bill passes, Student Senate would send a copy of the bill to “relevant administrators,” including Board of Trustees Chair David Wolfort, OU President Roderick McDavis, Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Shari Clarke and Vice Provost for Global Affairs LJ Edmonds.
Another bill would express senate’s general disapproval of the immigration ban.
“We do not condone that at all and we are totally against this,” Givens said about the ban. “Being an international student, you really can’t win over here.”
International Affairs Vice-Commissioner Amal Afyouni said the commission has not yet developed an official stance on the immigration ban. It is, however, working with International Student and Faculty Services and the International Student Union to learn how the ban is affecting students from the banned countries and “what can be done to help ensure their rights are well-reserved,” International Affairs Commissioner Nino Abolola said.
In addition to the two bills regarding Trump’s executive order, there are six resolutions on the agenda.
A resolution to allow vice commissioners to assume commissioner status if a commissioner leaves is being brought back to the senate floor with an appendix and will be discussed again.
The other resolutions are to appoint a member to the Budget Committee and to help pay for International Women’s Week, Sex Week, Rent tickets and pizza for the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion Focus Groups.
Student Senate President Hannah Clouser expects the budgets and appointments to pass with little contention.
Senate will also hear two presentations.
Student Trustee PJ Roden will update senate on what happened at the January Board of Trustees meeting, Clouser said, and Better Bystanders will give a presentation on bystander intervention training. The bystander intervention training will be open to any members of the public who attend the meeting.
“It’s going to be a long meeting,” Clouser said.
