While Ohio University Student Senate claims to be pushing an agenda of openness, senate will vote on a resolution Wednesday night that will limit the amount of time students can speak to their elected representatives.
The resolution to clearly define the parameters of Student SpeakOUt proposes a 20-minute time limit for speakOUt with a maximum of three minutes allotted to each speaker. If a student raises an issue that “merits further discussion,” that item may be moved to the agenda to be discussed in detail, according to the resolution.
The resolution comes after four students were arrested at the beginning of a senate meeting three weeks ago for disrupting that meeting. Those students started speaking before speakOUt technically began, leading to the arrests.
Traditionally, speakOUt had no time limit and during controversial meetings would last for hours.
Currently, there is nothing in senate’s rules that defines speakOUt.
Senate will also vote on a resolution condemning the removal of A- and B-level violations of the Student Code of Conduct proposed by Ohio University’s Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility. The change theoretically allows the suspension and expulsion punishment for all offenses, not just A-level violations.
Community Standards and Student Responsibility says they are proposing the change to “protect student rights and education.”
If the resolution passes, senate will join Graduate Student Senate in condemning the removal of sanction restrictions.
A resolution to propose a campus-wide poll will, if passed, aim to gauge the level of confidence in the administration and to identify the level of interest or concern in compensation of employees including staff, faculty and students, the environmental impact of Ohio University and equitable distribution of pay among employees.
Five separate polls will be sent to separate constituent groups including OU undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and unionized classified bargaining unit members.
Student Senate Vice President Caitlyn McDaniel said this week’s meeting will also involve time spent focusing on funding, both within senate and for external organizations.
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