The 94th Session of the Student Senate ended Wednesday.
After the resignation of Alex Grindstaff, Cody Long was sworn in as Student Senate President as prescribed by constitutional succession at the first meeting of the Spring semester.
The induction of the Executive Office of Student Government includes Khari Cyrus, the student body president elect, Nate Bridgers, the student body vice president elect, Cody Long, who will begin another term as student senate body president, Karli Moore, the student body treasurer elect and Thomas Pulliam, the student body chief justice will be Friday at 3 p.m. in the Talley Governance Chambers.
Student Senate members will be inducted April 9 in the first meeting of the next session.
This year’s body has been active, proposing 94 pieces of legislation.
Three diversity and inclusion acts were passed including the Inclusion Act along with the Social Justice Mini-Grant which fund collaborative educational opportunities on topics of diversity and social justice on campus, and the Indigenous People’s Day Act, which changes Columbus Day to a day for recognition of indigenous peoples.
The University Records and Registrations adopted the request of Student Government to add credits to student transcripts for the completion of military training that do not have an equivalent course at NC State. The approved change to the military articulation of credit, allows up to 12 hours of “free elective credit for military education deemed upper level” by the American Council on Education (ACE)” is to be awarded at the discretion of each college department.
The Executive Branch worked with the Division of Academic and Student Affairs and the Women’s Center to spread awareness about the It’s On Us campaign. The campaign is aiming to end sexual violence on our campus and produced a PSA that featured more than 100 students.
The Student Senate is still advocating for the reduction of the amount of major-specific electives to allow students to have minors in majors that have limited free electives, such as the College of Engineering, College of Sciences, College of Textiles.
Student Body President Rusty Mau has until April 2 to veto any of the legislation passed during the March 18 meeting and until April 6 to veto any legislation passed Wednesday.
Mau said that there are five bills from the meeting on March 18 that he has yet to decide whether to veto, sign, or pass without being signed. And there may be more.
“So tonight is the last meeting so if I veto something it can’t be overturned, I say that jokingly, but it is the truth,” Mau said. “Depending on what gets passed tonight, I’ll be vetoing at least one bill. There are just some things that I’m not necessarily excited about the direction that we’re heading in, and I think that we’re going away from our roots as an organization and some of the great things that we do and potentially causing more red tape for ourselves,”
In particular, Mau said is concerned about the Appropriations Reform Act.
The changes to appropriations haven’t received the due diligence of the Student Senate and the changes should be continued in the next session, Mau said.
“When representatives of the executive branch haven’t been directly contacted in a meeting or something that would allocated an additional five percent of the budget each year, I see that as a red flag,” Mau said. “I think it could be a really great idea, but I just don’t think we’ve done our due diligence as a body.”
In the event of vetoes or crises, the Senate President is able to call the Senate from recess for a period up to one week for purposes of reconvening the body to repeal an executive veto.
Several bills, including the Crisis Pregnancy Center bill and the Appropriations Reform Act, will be reintroduced in the next session.
