The Undergraduate Student Congress passed 26 resolutions Tuesday evening honoring those who served UOSA in the past year.
This was the last Student Congress meeting before new representatives take office.
UOSA presidential candidates Nicholas Harrison and Ally Glavas addressed the congress before the meeting. Harrison said the creation of a University Community Council was the most important issue of his platform.
“When all of the university stakeholders work together on this council ... the students simply say what they need and the council does it,” Harrison said.
Harrison’s running mate, John Surles, spoke about issues important to veterans. He said nontraditional students were under-represented in student congress.
“I serve — that’s what I do for a living and that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Surles said.
Glavas focused on the four core issues of her campaign: Advising, Cleveland Area Rapid Transit system, oZONE and dead-week policy.
“We really need to focus on what it is that works well for students,” Glavas said.
She said the international area studies department had very good advising.
“We need to do more of what [international and area studies] does in other colleges,” Glavas said.
Glavas’ running mate, Zac McCullock, could not attend the meeting.
During the vice chairman report, Matthew Gress thanked members of Student Congress for their service to UOSA and criticized Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society and The Daily.
“It’s pretty clear that this has been one of the best congresses we’ve had since I’ve been here ... and not just because I’m vice chair,” Gress said.
Gress said The Daily editorialized meeting coverage this semester, instead of reporting what he thought were the real actions that occurred on the floor of Student Congress. Gress said Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society caused Student Congress to direct its focus away from things that were important to the student body.
Spencer Pittman. congressional director of public relations, said he was thankful for the experience that serving on Student Congress has given him.
“I see everything that’s been going on between SDS, congress and the executive branch as a learning experience,” Pittman said.
Pittman thanked UOSA members and Students for a Democratic Society for strengthening UOSA and the student body.
ELECTION UPDATE
As of Tuesday evening, 2,863 votes were cast in the UOSA election. The last general election had a total of 3,447 votes cast, said Jeff Riles, UOSA election chairman.
He said there were no problems at the polls, but international and area studies students had a problem voting on the Web site.
International and area studies students were not able to vote for their district representative, Riles said.
They will vote again Thursday and Friday for their district representatives, between Shayna Daitch and Scott Mauldin. They should still be able to vote for UOSA president and vice president and CAC chairman, as well as propositions in the general election, Riles said.
Students can vote at elections.ou.edu until 9 p.m. today.
STUDENT CONGRESSMAN GOES TO U.S. CONGRESS
Student Congress Secretary Brett Stidham gave a short presentation detailing a trip he recently took to Washington, D.C., as a UOSA delegate to Big 12 on Capitol Hill.
While there, he lobbied for two bills that would help students, Stidham said.
One of the bills would provide tax deductions for higher-education expenses and interest on certain student loans. The other would provide grants for free virtual textbooks for students, Stidham said.
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soonerboomers 2 years, 1 month ago
More circle jerking from student government. Is this news?