By Asia Fields At the Associated Students Board meeting Friday, Jan. 20, a resolution was passed committing the AS to increasing undocumented student support, a “Buy Two, Get One Free Deal” on tenured faculty from the state legislature was discussed and whether or not the AS Review was a newspaper or “propaganda” was called into question. Below are highlights from the meeting. Undocumented Student Services
- The AS Board passed a resolution committing to hire a part-time lawyer and create scholarships for undocumented students.
- The board also plans to train AS staff to better support undocumented students.
- The board hopes to implement these plans in spring quarter of this year.
- The board called for more commitment from the university, including an office with full legal services for undocumented students and training for faculty and staff.
- AS Vice President for Diversity Aleyda Cervantes said there are plans to create a working group composed of administration and students, including Blue Group members.
- The board discussed a proposed bill from the state legislature that will allow public universities to pay for two tenure positions and have the legislature pay for a third.
- The bill states only 45-55 percent of faculty at public state universities were on full-time tenure track in 2016.
- This bill was referred to as the “Buy Two, Get One Free Deal” by AS Vice President for Activities Alex LaValle.
- The board agreed to allow the AS legislative liaison to testify at the hearing Tuesday, Jan. 24.
- There was discussion of trying to have student representation on tenure boards in the future.
- Whether or not the AS Review is allowed to critique the AS was called into question as the Board reviewed updated job descriptions for the publication.
- “If they’re not given freedom to do that, then they’re not really like a newspaper, they’re more like propaganda,” AS Vice President of Governmental Affairs Bryce Hammer said.
- Hammer recalled that at summer training, they were “explicitly told” the AS Review would not criticize their decisions.
- The AS Review website states, “We also have a direct connection to the AS Board of Directors, and although we report on board actions objectively, our relationship should be made clear.”
- The board was unsure as to whether this was an unofficial rule and said they would discuss it at a later time.
- The board focused on accessibility of Outdoor Center programs and positions for students with diverse backgrounds.
- Students who use the Outdoor Center are “predominantly white,” Cervantes said.
- The Outdoor Center will be working with Student Outreach Services, the Disability Resource Center, Veteran Services, the International Buddy Program and the Ethnic Student Center to expand outreach. They are planning excursions with some of these groups and hope to increase diversity in the students who use their services.
