The Student Senate unanimously passed B. Res. 102-002, which extended the hours at the Rec/IM, at its Tuesday night meeting in the Student Center.
The resolution extends the gym hours so the Rec/IM will close at 11:45 p.m. instead of 9:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The weekend hours will stay the same.
Steven Cole, student body president, said he is ecstatic that the Senate passed the resolution.
“Obviously the extended hours can’t happen until the Senate passes a resolution to […] increase the funds,” Cole said. “Now that that has happened, students can begin using this resource again.”
The Rec/IM piloted the program last year. While successful, it couldn’t be sustained without the additional Student Government funding. The funding will last until the end of April 2016.
S. Res. 102-001 was also passed unanimously, which amends the Student Government Bylaws. Many of the changes fix typographical and grammatical errors. Senator responsibilities and campaigning rules are also amended under the resolution.
John McAllister, student government judicial sergeant, wrote the resolution and made the changes.
“The overarching purpose of amending the bylaws was to ensure that we limit internal turmoil so that we can operate efficiently as an organization from the inside to promote our external service of serving the student body,” McAllister said. “[I]f we don’t have the outline to operate efficiently on the inside, how can we promote our purpose?”
Provisional Senator Sam Jones-Darling was sworn in as an official senator. He said he would like to use the position to work on relations with the LGBTQ community and religious minorities. He said he would also like to think about university fees in regards to first generation college students.
“I’m just really excited and I’m really looking forward to engaging with students and getting their word on things,” Jones-Darling said.
The Senate also listened to two guest speakers.
The new Student Government co-advisor, Leigh Greden, introduced himself to the Senate. Greden, the attorney advisor to the Senate, has worked at the university for five and a half years, with the exception of a year spent in Washington D.C.
“You can do good things that help the students,” Greden reminded the Senate.
Mary Larkin, coordinator for the LGBTQ resource center, spoke to the Senate to help them gain the skills and competencies needed when interacting with the LGTBQ population on Eastern Michigan University’s campus.
“I do believe that your role in Student Government is that you are here on behalf of every student that is on this campus,” Larkin said.