USC’s student senate passed several pieces of legislation on Nov. 19, including recommendations to provide students with LinkedIn Premium access and discounts at local businesses.
The senate passed a recommendation to provide free LinkedIn Premium access to students. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. Lester Lewis.
According to the recommendation, LinkedIn Premium provides students with professional development resources and greater profile visibility for internships and employment. This lines up with the university’s commitment of preparing students for professional success, the recommendation said.
Students can also take courses on LinkedIn, which are called “LinkedIn Learning,” the recommendation said. Lewis said the courses, as well as LinkedIn itself, are beneficial to all students.
“(Students) can take LinkedIn classes, get certificates and things like that,” Lewis said. “I think it’s a great benefit to students.”
USC already maintains a partnership with Microsoft, which integrates LinkedIn through its professional development tools, according to the recommendation. Providing students with LinkedIn Premium and/or LinkedIn Learning licenses would make use of the partnership, the recommendation said.
LinkedIn Premium access would help students build networks and career pathways before graduation, according to the recommendation. Lewis said this will set a trend for other schools to follow.
“Let’s be trailblazers," Lewis said. "Let’s set the new trend across the country."
Student Discounts
The senate also passed a recommendation to form a program with local businesses to provide student discounts. The legislation is also sponsored by Lewis
According to the recommendation, forming a program to provide students with discounts to local businesses would be beneficial for students facing financial challenges. Students would be able to access discounts at participating businesses using their CarolinaCard, the recommendation said.
Some examples of the discounts include a free appetizer for buying a meal or $10 off a haircut, Lewis said. He said this would not only help students save money but also draw in more customers at the local businesses.
Many local restaurants and shops in the Columbia area should be interested in a collaboration with USC and its students, the recommendation said. The discount program would not only benefit students but also strengthen the relationship between Columbia and USC’s students, according to the recommendation.
Treasurer Allocation
The senate passed a bill to amend the Student Government Constitution to allow the student body treasurer to vote on funding allocation requests in the finance committee. The legislation is sponsored by Chairman Jackson Matthews of the finance committee and Speaker Pro Tempore Daniel Violette.
It was narrowly passed by a vote of 27-21 and one abstention. According to the bill, the treasurer currently serves on the finance committee as a non-voting member. The bill amends the constitution to make the treasurer a voting member.
Matthews said this will strengthen the committee’s decisions.
“It’s always been strange to me that the treasurer is elected by the entirety of the student body to represent students and Student Government financial matters, and then ultimately, they’ve got almost no say in what the money is used for,” Matthews said.
There were concerns brought to the debate floor about a shift in the balance of power between the treasurer and the rest of the senate. Matthews said the senate ultimately has the final say in approving funding requests brought forward by the finance committee in the form of legislation.
The new bill will likely not go into effect until next year, but Matthews said it fleshes out the role of the treasurer and makes it more complete. According to the bill, the treasurer will remain a non-voting member for all matters relating to legislation.
History of USC Course
The senate passed a recommendation to implement a non-honors course into the curriculum on the history of USC. The legislation is sponsored by Sens. Sebastian LeMarie, Matthew Frye and Violette.
According to the recommendation, USC has one undergraduate class on the history of the university. However, the class is limited to students in the South Carolina Honors College, the recommendation said. No other SEC schools have courses based around the history of their universities, the recommendation said.
“I think it would be beneficial for students to know the history of this university, and its greater role in the state and in the nation as a whole,” LeMarie said.
USC is the flagship university of the state of South Carolina, according to the recommendation. It is important to emphasize and learn about the university’s impact, the recommendation said.
Student senate will have its final meeting of the semester on Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m.