Discussion focuses on already introduced initiatives
With more old than new on the agenda, student senate met for the first time this semester, continuing work on previously proposed initiatives and talking about the future of Student Government.
Presidential Projects
Student Government has made progress on the Gamecock Pantry and Walk Home Cocky, two programs that Student Body President Chase Mizzell and his cabinet worked on over the summer.
The Gamecock Pantry will partner with Harvest Hope Food Bank and serve members of the USC community who need food. It will be housed in McBryde Quadrangle, an all-male residence hall, Mizzell said. The pantry was a marquee initiative in Mizzell’s presidential and vice presidential campaigns,
Walk Home Cocky, a safe walk program, has also made “incredible progress,” Mizzell said.
The program will station one male and one female volunteer at the Thomas Cooper Library late at night. They pair will walk students to their cars or residence halls. Both of the programs are poised to kick off in the next few months, Mizzell said.
Looking ahead
The Safety and Transportation Committee is looking into getting more Carolina Cab paraphernalia into Five Points bars and restaurants.
Committee Chair Kirkland Gray said the materials would include napkins and pens and would be aimed at getting more people to use the safe ride service, which offers free cab rides to students on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Legislation
Only two pieces of legislation were presented Wednesday night.
One was a resolution commending the women’s soccer team on its recent defeat of seventh-ranked Duke, and the other was the second reading of an update to the senate’s financial codes. If passed, the changes would allow student organizations to request funding on a rolling basis at least five weeks in advance of an event.
The revised codes would also require organizations to submit itemized requests. Currently, they must request funding in set categories, which are more broad.
The codes would not take effect until the spring semester, when comptrollers would hold forums educating student organization leaders about the changes.
The resolution was tabled until next week’s meeting, when Judiciary Committee Chair Stuart Wilkerson will be in attendance. Wilkerson was out of town Wednesday evening and could not attend senate, Student Body Vice President Ryan Bailey said.
*Senate Vacancies
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Five senate seats are currently vacant, with one being sought by two people.
The often-empty delegation from the College of Social Work has one of its two seats open, and two students have applied to fill it.
There is one seat vacant each in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management; the School of Law; the School of Music; and the College of Pharmacy.
One student has also applied to be a senator in the delegation from the Darla Moore School of Business, although that delegation is already full.