After being presented with information regarding student trustee voting rights, Ohio University’s Student Senate members are still uncertain which way their resolution on the topic will sway.
Senate’s State and Federal Affairs Commissioner Taylor Abbott and Ohio Student Government Association Delegate Stephanie Stark told senate about House Bill 337 at Wednesday’s meeting.
The bill proposes that student trustees at every state university in Ohio be given voting privileges and access to all executive trustee sessions.
“As the elected student representative body of the university, Student Senate should submit a unified stance on House Bill 337 to Ohio University’s administration and state legislators,” Abbott said.
To help senate make a decision, Abbott and Stark listed the pros and cons of the bill as well as people who are for and against it.
Some of the benefits Abbott mentioned included reassurance that the student voice will be heard, ensuring direct student input and tangible effects stemming from their input. Cons mentioned included conflicts of interest when it comes to student-related votes and the additional responsibility voting rights would place on student trustees.
Senate President Kyle Triplett served as a student trustee from 2009–2011 and said he is cautious about voting rights.
“(Student trustees) have to represent the students and the university as a whole, and the state as a student representative,” he said. “(As a student trustee), do I side with the university to pay the bills and pay our faculty salaries? Or do I side with the students who say they won’t pay an extra dime?”
Current Student Trustee Danielle Parker, a junior studying public relations, said she isn’t against the bill entirely but doesn’t think it applies to OU specifically.
“I have never had an opportunity or an instance where I’ve needed to vote,” she said. “Through my experience, do I see it to be a necessity? No, but it may not be the case with student trustees throughout the state.”
Parker told senate members she is willing to speak about her position in order to give them a well-rounded perspective before they come to a conclusion.
“As of next week, we could have a resolution up, but we need to decide what that resolution is going to say,” Abbott said.
tl674710@ohiou.edu
