Correction appended.
Student Senate members did not pass the resolution that would amend its constitution to exclude graduate students at its Wednesday meeting.
The resolution would have amended the Student Senate constitution to only represent undergraduate students. The amending of the Student Senate constitution was supported by Graduate Student Senate, the members of which voted on the issue at Tuesday’s meeting.
The discussion intensified when several Student Senate members said the behavior from GSS executives was disorganized and childlike.
Student Senate also claimed to financially support GSS and threatened to cut funding toward GSS if they became independent.
“Let’s be clear — you do not fund GSS,” Daniel Williams, a senator emeritus for GSS, said in the meeting,
Records presented in the meeting showed Student Senate has not funded GSS through SAC funding since 2017.
There are two voting positions dedicated to graduate students on Student Senate. Williams said graduate students have different focuses and needs compared to undergraduate students.
Student Senate denied amending its constitution dealing with GSS, meaning Student Senate will continue to represent all students to the university, including graduate students.
“We will continue to push for independence,” Williams said, “I have been pushing for this myself for two years.”
Student Senate also approved a bill that would affirm GSS’s representation of graduate students on campus. The bill states that Student Senate will continue to advocate for representatives of GSS on all conversations where the five Senates at Ohio University are included in addition to conversations regarding the students as a whole.
Student Senate approved an amendment to the constitution which will now extend its representation to regional undergraduate students. Any decision passed by Student Senate at the Athens campus will also be enforced at all OU regional campuses.
Senate passed a resolution to update the constitutional change process, which will now no longer require the approval of Board of Trustees for proposed constitutional amendments.
Members also passed a resolution to change wording in a chapter in Senate’s rules and procedures regarding the Residence Life Commission.
Senate voted and denied a bill that would allow students to be able to donate a portion of their unused meal swipes year-round to the Baker food pantry, Cats’ Corner. The bill was considered to be unnecessary and unaffordable by Culinary Services.
Another bill was approved that will request for more funding toward higher education. The State Share of Instruction will fund a 1.1 percent increase from the 2019 fiscal year, but Senate claims the nearly $40 million increase is not enough.
There was also a resolution appointing five members to the Standing Committee on the Bobcat Medal. The new members are Johnathen Sweeney, Alivah Chaplin, Isabela Gibson, Adam Boesinger and Hunter Graffice. (Graffice is a Post TV writer.)
Senate passed three budget resolutions at the meeting. The first resolution allocated $650 to the Take Back the Night event. Senate also allocated about $85 to purchase business cards for Students Defending Students members. $230 was also allocated toward purchasing supplies for the Bobcats Against Sexual Violence Pledge.
Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated to what degree the bill affected Graduate Student Senate, how many graduate students served on Student Senate and who was receiving business cards. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
