Public Comment:

Johnson protects DACA

The University of Nevada, Reno, President Marc Johnson spoke to the group of senators in Wednesday’s Associated Students of the University of Nevada senate meeting about protecting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Johnson announced that he signed a petition this week to protect DACA students who attend the university.

DACA students are undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before they turned 16. Under the program, these students are given a work permit, Social Security number and the ability to attend school. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to abolish the program during his presidential campaign.

“I, along with 500 other presidents of colleges and universities, signed a petition to support the continuation of the policy of DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,” Johnson said.

Resignation:

ASUN Attorney General resigns

The senate meeting continued as Speaker Noah Teixeira read the resignation of Attorney General Dylan Tedford. Tedford graduated this semester but said he would not hesitate to help President Brandon Boone in his search for another attorney general and would give his input wherever it is needed.

Legislation:

Senate amends club support funding policies

The senate again heard an act to amend the Club Support Funding Policies Manual, after discussing the resolution in depth in a senate meeting a few weeks ago. The resolution says it may be seen as a conflict of interest to allow ASUN-elected or appointed officials to represent clubs and organizations in club funding meetings. The resolution would deny any ASUN elected official from representing their club or organization in any club funding meetings. The resolution also states if the ASUN president and treasurer are unable to attend the Club Support Funding Hearing, they must submit to a member of the commission a written notification before the end of the meeting or hearing. The notification must include who the member is and who is acting in their position.

Discussion of the resolution was minimal because Teixeira told the senators to refrain from bringing up any discussion unless it was a new question or issue that the senate had not heard in the prior meeting. The resolution passed by one vote.

Senate formally supports ‘It’s on Us’

Next the senate a resolution in support of the It’s on Us campaign. Chief of Staff Sebastian Atienza and Sen. Carissa Bradley of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources have been organizing support and events for the It’s on Us campaign, but it is a formal resolution to support the campaign. It’s on Us is a national sexual assault prevention campaign that has been endorsed by President Barack Obama and has been utilized by several institutions across the U.S.

Before the vote, Bradley moved to amend some of the wording in the resolution as well as add the citations of the sources she used to write the legislation. The resolution passed with unanimous support.