In a brisk 80 minute-long Senate session Wednesday night, ASG swore in 15 new RHA and RCB senators and introduced a resolution in support of a campus-wide tobacco ban.
Senators representing residential halls and colleges were elected Tuesday via an online vote. These officials comprise nearly one-third of the Senate body.
The tobacco resolution, authored by Public Health Club president Carolyn Huang and sponsored by Weinberg junior Dana Leinbach, would prohibit all tobacco products on campus property. A similar resolution passed the Faculty Senate in April.
Huang argued the resolution would put pressure on the University to adopt a tobacco-free policy, which leads to reduced fire insurance costs and diminished second-hand smoke risks. Over 700 students have signed a petition in support of her proposal. Evanston city code prohibits smoking indoors or within 25 feet of building entrances. According to Huang, the Evanston Health Department supports the resolution.
If the Senate passed the resolution, Huang said the University could form a task force to develop policies prohibiting tobacco on campus. Since it's a resolution, the proposal lacks any enforcement mechanism.
Senate will vote on the resolution next week.
Later, Executive Vice President Alex Van Atta presented the process to select a new ASG associate vice president of diversity and inclusion. President Ani Ajith's initial nominee wasn't confirmed last Spring.
Van Atta and Ajith revamped the qualifications and selection process for the position. Applications open tomorrow and the selection committee will present their nominee to the Senate on Oct. 23. The associate vice president will report directly to Van Atta and Ajith.
"Ultimately, the buck stops with Ani and I," Van Atta said.
Minutes before Senate adjourned, Parliamentarian Abby Klearman reported that ASG structural reform legislation proposed last Spring is being evaluated by Rules Committee and will be presented to the Senate again later in the quarter.