Graduate Student Senate will vote on a resolution at its meeting Tuesday to push university officials to update the university on the steps being taken to support international students, faculty and staff.
The resolution requests updates from Ohio University President Roderick McDavis, Vice Provost for Global Affairs and International Studies Lorna Jean Edmonds and Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina.
GSS wants the update to “be detailed, and include the specific steps that have been taken, and will be taken in the future to support our international community.”
The body will also vote on a resolution to sign a statement regarding President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The statement is a collaborative effort with other student governments both at OU and in the state.
“It’s kind of a combined effort to get as many student government organizations on board as possible,” GSS President Ian Armstrong said. “All it is focused on is the immigration ban. It just says we oppose it, and we think it’s detrimental to the core values of higher education.”
GSS is also working with Student Senate on the resolution to obtain as many signatures from other universities’ student government organizations as possible. They plan to send the statement to Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH, Gov. John Kasich and all Ohio Representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The statement will also be sent to university officials such as the Board of Trustees, McDavis, Interim President David Descutner and Director of Government Relations at OU Eric Burchard.
“I’m personally concerned about how things like the arrests impact the international student community,” Armstrong said. “It concerns me, and I have a feeling a lot of them might be asking the question ‘Is my university supporting me?’ "
GSS will also vote to appoint three new members. The new members would fill department representative positions in the social and public health and interdisciplinary arts departments, as well as filling a minority affairs commissioner slot.
In addition to voting on those three resolutions, Armstrong said it is likely the body will also vote on a resolution asking OU officials to make OU a sanctuary campus and to have a first reading of a resolution to make changes to the Rules and Procedures document for GSS.
“Those of us proposing this resolution believe that these actions are necessary for the university to ensure that it is meeting the educational and safety needs of all students,” Angie Chapman, vice president for legislative affairs, said in an email.
At its previous meeting, GSS members discussed and tabled a resolution regarding the current adviser change policy. Armstrong said the resolution could remain tabled for this week's meeting.
“I am excited to see the body’s response on an update in the policy of switching advisors, which this policy is not super exciting to most, but it is extremely valuable for the rights of graduate students now and in the future,” Alex Burke, vice president for finance, said in an email.
