USC's student senate passed multiple pieces of legislation, including recommendations to address the conditions of the ceiling tiles in Gambrell Hall and to expand green spaces on campus.
Gambrell Hall ceiling tiles
The senate passed a recommendation to address the conditions of the ceiling tiles in Gambrell Hall. This recommendation was sponsored by Sens. Matthew Frye and Jasper Ryan.
According to the recommendation, there are multiple places in Gambrell Hall where the ceiling tiles have large black spots that are a hazard and a distraction for students.
The primary purpose of the recommendation is just to have the damaged ceiling tiles fixed, according to Frye.
“Then maybe (the recommendation) will bring more attention to other issues that might be in Gambrell Hall that people want to bring up,” Frye said.
Expanding campus green spaces
The senate also passed a recommendation to preserve and expand the green spaces for students on campus. This recommendation was sponsored by Sen. Lester Lewis.
According to Lewis, the University is constructing new buildings without preserving the more natural areas of campus.
“I don't see grass coming up on campus,” Lewis said. “And what I mean by that is we've got to have a balance between green spaces and putting buildings on campus.”
According to the recommendation, this would allow students more spaces on campus to relax and study while also benefiting their health and physical activity.
Other legislation
The senate passed a bill to define what an undergraduate organization is in the Student Government codes. This bill was sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Daniel Violette.
According to Violette, the Student Government codes have definitions for everything except undergraduate organizations; the purpose of this bill is to adjust that.
The senate was supposed to vote on two other pieces of legislation, but both of them were tabled for future senate meetings.
A recommendation to establish lower prices for parking permits at USC was tabled for two weeks. Another recommendation focused on establishing a full-attendance policy to receive points from sporting events was tabled indefinitely.
Student senate will meet again on Feb. 11 in the Russell House Theater.