Recap of the April 21 ASUAF Meeting

By Maria Menninger 

During their last meeting of the school year the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks resolved previously presented bills and discussed the future of the Senate. 

The student at-large participation in ASUAF meetings bill was amended and the changes were discussed. The original bill raised concern with some senators due to the bill’s verbiage, which some felt did not reflect the Senate’s current intent. The Senate intended to allow at-large students – those who wish to contribute to ASUAF but aren’t classified as senators or ASUAF employees – to participate in debate.

Sen. Alexander Glackin said that the Rules Committee worked to amend the bill’s wording, so it clarified the duties and expectations of students at-large participation. A primary question regarding the bill was how the Senate avoids consideration of at-large student votes if those students don’t participate in all meetings. 

“We resolved that risk by saying each standing committee cannot have more than three at-large members,” Glackin said. This means that each ASUAF committee such as rules or finance, which are comprised of four to seven senators, must not have more than three at-large students. The at-large students won’t count towards the total number of senators allowed in a committee.

The at-large student votes are also to be recorded separately from the Senate’s vote. The at-large students will write down their decision, yay or nay, on a bill and that decision will be handed to the Senate during discussion, so the senators can consider the opinions received. 

Glackinalso reminded senators that the at-large students will be held to the same attendance standards as committee members. However, they won’t receive any member benefits such as stipends, compensation, or voting privileges. The current bill was amended to reflect this statement. 

After clarifying an at-large students’ role within ASUAF, the senators voted to pass the bill. 

Another bill that needed clarification before it could be voted upon was the amendments to the parliamentarian. Robert’s Rules of Order defines the parliamentarian as an entity that acts only as an advisor. ASUAF’s definition differs, and is defined as a voting member of the Senate. This created conflict as some senators serve as both an advisor to a committee and actively participate in debates and voting. 

The adjusted bill clarifies the rules for the Rules Committee chair. The Rules Committee advisors are allowed to debate and vote as a senator but cannot act as an advisor to the committee when participating in debate. The ASUAF student government and student media advisor, currently Victoria Thompson, will assume that role for the duration of voting.

The bill did not discuss any other committee chairs and their defined rules within the bylaws.

The senate read through the initial bill and Sen. Oscar Smedley questioned what enacting the bill would look like, specifically the ASUAF advisor acting as the committee advisor during debate.

Glackin clarified this section is already in the bylaw and this bill is just amending the current verbiage. The ASUAF advisor would only act as a committee advisor so that conflict of interest is removed from debate concerning topics presented or discussed by committees.

The bill was passed.

President Jackson Nelson brought up feedback he has been receiving about the upcoming Board of Regents meeting on May 18. “There is this narrative going around the board that our housing is in great condition and that we’re fine,” he said. “That was because they only toured a small section of lower campus dorms which are in pretty good shape.”

Members of the executive cabinet wish to attend and speak at the BOR meeting to discuss what they say is an inaccuracy.

Nelson described the Cutler apartments and graduate dorms as unsatisfactory housing. “We want to make sure that the actual needs of students are being communicated to the board as they prepare for the fiscal year 27,” he said. 

Sen. Brynn Illingworth also brought up the Board of Regents vote on whether to fund the American Sign Language department or Inupiaq language department. 

“They can only approve one or the other which puts the two against each other, which is really concerning,” Illingworth said. “I think it’s really problematic for the community and also both of those groups.” She said she will keep an eye on the situation to determine how it progresses. 

The meeting adjourned at 6:37 p.m.