by Jacob Solis

LEGISLATION

Raise for ASUN student employee minimum wage passed

The senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 83, which would raise the minimum wage for employees of the Associated Students of the University of Nevada Center for Student Engagement. The bill came from the desk of ASUN President Caden Fabbi, who pushed for the change in order to keep up with both wages at other student jobs on campus as well as national trends.

The bill’s language specifically cited the wage increase in Los Angeles and the possibility of a wage-increase measure being put on Nevada’s 2016 ballot.

The pay raises are different depending on the branch of the Center for Student Engagement. Campus Escort received an overall wage increase of 14 percent, while Legal Services only saw an increase of 8 percent. All told, the wage increase would cost ASUN just over $53,000.

ASUN approves funding for undergraduate research abroad

The University of Nevada, Reno’s Office of Undergraduate Research was given $10,000 by ASUN in order to fund research opportunities abroad for UNR students. According to the bill, ASUN already gives the Office for Undergraduate Research up to $50,000 each year.

Scott Mensing, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research, noted before the senate that most study abroad opportunities are geared for language or other liberal arts programs, with few opportunities provided to STEM majors. The new funds will provide financial assistance to those students who may not be able to afford research opportunities on their own.

NOMINATIONS

New senator for the College of Science appointed

Brian Huynh was appointed to fill the empty College of Science seat left by former Sen. Colin Wilhelm. Huynh’s nomination was approved unanimously by 12 senators while four senators abstained.

Those who abstained from the vote did so because of personal relationships with the other candidate, Audrey Engel. Engel had run for senate during the spring semester, but lost to Sen. Wilhelm and Sen. Abbie Schepps. In her opening remarks, Engel expressed the opinion that she deserved the position because she came in third place, but this rubbed several senators the wrong way.

The final candidate for the seat, Joel Benavente, was disqualified because as a neuroscience major, he is part of the Interdisciplinary Programs and not the College of Science. The clerical error was not discovered, however, until after Benavente had given his presentation to the senate.

Jacob Solis can be reached at jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.