A new law, if passed by the Ohio legislature, will require students to tell police officers their age when questioned, potentially incriminating themselves.
The clause, tucked inside a bill dedicated to the improvement of state security, is a clear violation of the Fifth Amendment, said Pat McGee, an attorney with Ohio University's Center for Student Advocacy, at last night's Student Senate meeting.
It should be alarming for students
McGee said. What it comes down to basically is the right of police to intrude on your right to privacy.
Senate Bill 9, often called the Ohio Patriot Act placed this clause in section 2921.29 of the bill. Student Senate passed a resolution to pressure the Ohio House of Representatives for the removal of the clause.
It's going to infringe upon (students') rights and it's going to grant more power to the discretion of police
said Brian Footer, senator for city and county affairs and candidate for next year's senate president.
Also at the meeting, Jackie Legg, business manager for student health services, spoke about OU's health insurance program.
Currently, 2,346 students use OU's health insurance. This year they pay $260 per quarter for coverage with a $25 deductible they must pay each time they use the plan. Next year, the cost will increase about 23 percent, and students will have to pay $320 per quarter.
Legg outlined options to modify the plan and lower the quarterly fee. Changes would be accounted for by changing other fees, such as raising the deductible or limiting the amount of money covered for prescription medicine to $1,000.
Three students have already reached the $1,000 mark, Legg said. Another modification in the insurance plan will work to these and other students' advantage, Legg said. All students will have a prescription drug discount card, which takes 20 to 30 percent off most medications.
This is standard practice that is occurring more and more
Legg said.
She asked senate to review proposed modifications to the current plan and give its opinion of how they will affect the student body.
Senate ended the meeting with a discussion of next year's budget. Treasurer Mike Easterday said its anticipated budget for next year is about $23,100.
The senate, which funds various commissions as well as Take Back the Night and Gay Pride week, voted to pass the plan for next year's proposed budget. It modified last year's budget by lumping the money allocated for advertising and the money allocated for public relations into the same category -a move that concerned Andrew Bittner, a candidate for next year's senate president.
Public relations is dealing with students
Bittner said. Dealing with students is something our organization is designed to do... It's something OUnity would look forward to not limiting
but enhancing next year.
Easterday said the modification merely groups the two categories together. It does not subtract the amount of money either of them can use.
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Maggie Bushek
