News

Legislation gets SGA approval

By Ray Hafner
Senior Staff Writer

In the middle of an election, with voting continuing today, the 39th Student Senate passed two bills during its second-to-last meeting, one to create a bus stop near the Honors College and another to make a campus safety program an annual event.

Honors College Sen. Kim Black said the creation of the UH shuttle bus stop, along existing bus lines, would help recreate the sense of community the Honors College enjoyed when it was centrally located underneath M.D. Anderson library.

While the Honors College is only a temporary resident of the portable buildings, the shuttle stop would also serve the Math Labs, Law Center and parking lot 19E, Education Sen. Katawna Walker said.

The Department of Transportation and Parking has heard proposals to put a stop there before, said Business Sen. Zimuzo Agim, who works in the Honors College, "but all the reasons they gave (for not putting a stop there) were not substantial."

"I think they just kind of need a kick in the right direction," said Black.

The bill passed without opposition and will now go before the universityis Transportation and Parking Committee for a final decision and implementation.

Vice President Jon Quintanilla announced during the meeting that a "Walk in the Dark" would be held April 2 in conjunction with UHPD to determine dangerous or poorly lit areas on campus. The event will send students out with police officers to find trouble spots. Quintanilla encouraged all senators to attend and asked that they invite other student organizations to participate.

The Senate then passed a bill that would make the program an annual event.

A third bill to create Student Government Association suggestion boxes across campus was discussed, but not brought up for a vote.

"I think this is a way to always be seen and always be visible," said Walker.

SGA can expect to see lots of legislation at its last meeting, said Speaker Pro Tempore David Burkley. SGAis committees will be meeting before then to flush out all remaining legislation.

President Dawona Miller, who serves on UHis presidential search committee, asked students to assist her by thinking of nominees to replace UH President Arthur Smith when he steps down in September. Miller is the only student representative on the committee and said the other members look to her when they want to hear student opinion.
 

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