After about three weeks of indecision and student protests, Ohio University’s Student Senate will vote on a resolution condemning the wording of Senate Bill 5.
At tonight’s meeting, State and Federal Affairs Commissioner Taylor Abbott will request to add a vote on the resolution to the agenda. If the senate members agree with the request, Abbott said, they will vote on the resolution.
At last week’s meeting, senate members were given a summary of SB 5, which limits the collective bargaining rights of public employees.
“As of now we are comfortable enough to take a vote, and the constituency wants us to take a vote,” said Nick Tuell, president of OU’s chapter of College Democrats and senate’s City and County Affairs commissioner. “We agreed we had to do something.”
Senate leaders came under fire by We Are Ohio, a group pushing for a voter repeal of Senate Bill 5, after they discouraged the senate from taking a stance on the issue. Upwards of 50 students came to each of the senate's last two meetings to protest. Meanwhile, Ohio University College Republicans organized a counter-protest, urging the senate to "keep partisan politics out of campus politics."
Aside from the resolution, there are two presentations on the agenda, Student Senate President Kyle Triplett said.
OU President Roderick McDavis will speak to senate about his goals for this year and discussing how senate could help accomplish them. McDavis speaks to senate once a year, Triplett said.
The second presentation will be from the senate intern directors, who will introduce the new interns to senate.
Student Senate will meet at 7:15 tonight in 235 Walter Hall.
