With an agenda that covers both politics and social events, Graduate Student Senate has a lot to talk about at tonight’s meeting.
Graduate Student Senate will address Ohio’s Senate Bill 5, presenting the members with a resolution to oppose the bill.
SB 5 limits collective-bargaining rights for public employees, and voters can repeal the law Tuesday by voting “no” on Issue 2.
The resolution cites SB 5’s restrictions on the “autonomy which large public universities need to effectively manage their operations” as well as faculty and staff’s ability to “determine their own form of organization” as reasoning behind the opposition.
“I think it’s important that GSS gets an opportunity to voice thoughts on this issue,” GSS President Tracy Kelly said. “I think it’s very relevant for our constituency.”
Ohio University President Roderick McDavis was quoted last spring as saying he was “not opposed” to SB 5.
The resolution “calls upon President McDavis, Inter-University Council head Bruce Johnson, and the other presidents of Ohio public universities to publicly retract their support for it and, in so doing, affirm the importance of academic quality at their schools.”
Rebecca Sherwood, College of Fine Arts senator, and Chet Miller, School of Theater senator, sponsored the resolution.
GSS has been meeting with OU’s SAFE-T Patrol team to learn more about its services. After reviewing what it offers, GSS is hoping to partner with other student organizations to publicize them.
GSS is developing a neighborhood watch program with Residential Housing’s Off-Campus Living office. GSS plans to continue working on this program during Winter Intersession and will have more information when students return, Kelly said.
“Students can use this as an opportunity to change the culture of apathy that shows how they are reluctant to make sure everybody is OK,” she said. “This would take working together to promote safety in their neighborhoods.”
GSS also will develop plans for a social event in January. It would allow graduate students to become more familiar with GSS as well as to give input. The organization would then be able to learn more about its constituency, Kelly said.
GSS is having a resolution to support Bobcats for a Conflict-Free Campus in its initiatives to bring awareness to the university. The organization is working to make OU use technology that does not use materials from violent areas, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“We really felt like this was a good cause to support,” Kelly said. “We wanted to help have OU move to avoid conflict-free materials.”
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