The first Student Senate meeting of the year, which fell on the first day of spring semester classes, saw the passing of two bills.

President Anna Ziebell welcomed the body back into session and said she had been in contact with the administration about continuing the rapid action task force relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she would continue to meet with them throughout the semester.

The body’s first act of the year was the passage of Bill 64-R-18, “In Support of a Latin American  and Latinx Hire.” The bill advocated for the hiring of new faculty with a background relating to the Latin American and Latinx Studies program. 

The bill stated a new hire to the program would allow more classes to be added in the program and would increase students’ abilities to learn. The bill passed with a vote of 25-0-2, with only President Ziebell and Vice President Joe Murphy abstaining.

Next, senators introduced Bill 64-R-19 “In Honor of February as Black History Month.” The bill sought to show support for “organizations that call for and create action to increase the equitable treatment of Black people.”

 After making several amendments to the bill, Senator Brenden Hicks, a third-year political science student, moved to table the bill until next week in order to properly write the bill, though his movement was voted down.

“I felt that since there were so many amendments being made, if we tabled the resolution then we could get all of the information pieced out and ensure that we are writing the best pieces of legislation we can,” Hicks said. “Although it is important to get the message across about Black History Month, I felt that it could have waited one week.”

The bill was eventually voted on and it was passed with a vote of 22-3-2.

Kristof can be reached at [email protected].