Ohio University Student Senate members spent about an hour of their Wednesday meeting discussing a resolution that would help pay for portable restrooms during fest season.
Senate passed the resolution and will provide students with the information they need to rent portable restrooms. If students decide to rent one, senate has agreed by passing the resolution, to reimburse them for half of what they pay.
Off-Campus Senator Joe Frate and Chief of Staff Landen Lama said helping students get portable restrooms would increase the safety of students during fest season. They said allowing students to use the bathroom in a somewhat private location, without having to ask to use the bathroom in a house of someone they may not know, could improve safety.
“I think points from both sides that are really important to highlight were that it’s important to understand the liability and the work and the actual care of the port-a-potties is on the students,” Student Senate Vice President Courteney Muhl said. “What senate has approved is to provide all the information to students on how to get a port-a-potty, and if the student decided to provide that feature for themselves on their own private property, senate will be reimbursing them for half the cost.”
Early in the meeting, some Graduate Student Senate members expressed their concerns with passing the bill because they think the bill could endorse underage drinking.
Another bill passed in regard to a policy on those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. The bill will work to protect students against discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation.
In the bill, senate asks the university to continue to provide gender-neutral restrooms and expand gender-neutral housing.
“Historically, there have been issues with restrooms. They used to be segregated based upon the color of your skin,” Anna Neawedde, LGBTQA affairs commissioner, said. “This is just another thing where we are trying to police where people can go to the bathroom. It makes me happy that at least here in our institution, our university says ‘it’s OK, do what you want.’ ”
After the discussion of that bill, Muhl discussed a resolution to send senators to an American Student Government Association conference in Philadelphia in March. Muhl said she attended the conference last year and returned more confident in her role. She said she believes more senators can benefit from attending.
Faculty Senate Chair Joe McLaughlin gave a presentation explaining Gov. John Kasich’s budget proposal that includes a $300 cap on textbooks and a two-year tuition freeze at Ohio public colleges.
In relation to the textbook cap, OU has implemented an initiative through Alden Library that incentivizes professors to avoid using textbooks as a way to decrease the costs of textbooks for students. The initiative began last academic year and is predicted to continue and grow, McLaughlin said.
Later in the meeting, Muhl said 22 students applied for the student trustee position, the highest number of applicants she has seen in her time with the senate. Five finalists will move on to the next round of interviews — this time with governor’s office — in which the final candidate will be selected. Those finalists are:
- Sahuaro Marzolf, a sophomore studying international business
- Carlie Tianello, a freshman studying political science
- Zach Reizes, a sophomore studying global studies - war and peace
- Faith Voinovich, a sophomore studying chemical engineering
- Ami Scherson, a sophomore in the Honors Tutorial College studying music
Senate also passed bills to rent golf carts, buy posters and rent a combative room for the Take Back the Night rally and events. Senate will also purchase tickets for the Women’s Achievement Banquet on Thursday in the Walter Rotunda.
The body passed two resolutions to appoint senators to the Residence Life Commission. A resolution to deny funding applications for reimbursements was tabled until after Spring Break.
