At ASG’s brief meeting Wednesday night, junior Sumaia Masoom stepped down as co-vice president of student life and president Christina Cilento proposed a bill to establish a new committee for reviewing how student groups are funded.
Masoom cited mental health as her reason for relinquishing her position; in the past, she has worked on campus initiatives to improve mental health resources and said she realized over the summer that she was being hypocritical by putting her own mental health last. She also encouraged the senators and other members of the Northwestern community to be aware of the toxic culture on campus that rewards overworking yourself.
“It is not worth it to graduate in three and a half years with a double major if that double major is in stress and clinical depression,” Masoom said during her resignation speech.
Later during the meeting, Cilento said her proposed committee to streamline the funding process would be created in response to feedback that different student groups are funded unfairly. The new committee would review how groups are funded, make recommendations on how to improve, and enact changes by March.
Senators voted on the bill, which passed almost unanimously with the exception of two voters.
This week’s Senate was cut short to allow viewing of the presidential debate, but other topics brought up in the meeting included revisiting last week’s discussion about reducing the speed limit on Sheridan Road. Cilento and several other members of ASG attended an Evanston city council meeting this past week to advocate for the new 25 mph speed limit, and reported that they met a positive response. Also, a pilot program offering free menstrual products to students will be kicking off in the next few weeks in select buildings across campus.