Student Government passed amendments to its constitution and reviewed gender-neutral housing at its first General Assembly meeting of the 2012–13 academic year Monday night.
SG officials said progress has been made with gender-neutral housing and that it could be available as a specialty housing option at Boston University for the 2013–14 academic year.
“Administration sees, after trustees and faculty approval, [gender-neutral housing] as happening and as an option for spring semester housing forms and actually happening fall semester,” said Aditya Rudra, SG executive vice president.
SG checked up on 24-hour study spaces at the meeting and how Shelton Hall’s former dining hall was converted to a 24-hour lounge at the start of the fall semester.
“For those of you living off campus, during the semester, you will have access to Shelton’s dining hall 24/7 as a place to study,” Rudra, a School of Management junior, said during the meeting.
However, Rudra said, Shelton will not be open permanently, and other spaces would replace it. The former Myles Standish Hall dining hall will be converted to 24-hour study space in the fall semester.
“Unfortunately, [Shelton] cannot continue to stay open,” he said. “By the end of the semester, you should see Myles [Standish Hall’s] dining hall as a 24/7 study space.”
SG announced changes it had begun implementing over the summer, such as its name change from Student Union and the formation of a group of student leaders called the president’s council.
These changes were compiled into a list of amendments to the SG constitution. Members voted unanimously to pass the amendments as an omnibus.
Rudra said many of the changes were merely logistical and did not involve actual policy changes.
SG also introduced cabinet members chosen from a pool of applicants. The cabinets focus on specific goals and areas, such as advocacy, which is currently working on 24-hour study spaces and gender-neutral housing, events planning and environmental affairs.
Members voted the cabinet in unanimously.
Rudra said minor changes have occurred with the cabinets, including a name change from “committees” to “departments” and increased size.
“Typically, in open Student Union last year, we would get one or two applications [per position],” he said. “This year, we went to every orientation session and presented [SG] to everyone and we had 10 to 15 applications for every position, which is why we granted a few more than is typical.”
Rudra said major issues and policies were not voted on because a normal senate was not present.
“When we went to college governments, nearly everyone had a proxy,” he said. “We don’t want to go through senator expectations and go through these important issues with people who don’t truly represent their constituents.”
Rudra said he expects more senators to be present by the next forum meeting and more votes to be held.
SG President Dexter McCoy said he looked forward to the semester and wanted SG to have a more prominent role on campus.
“[You’re here today] to be an active participant in what’s going on not in just the Boston University community, but the greater Boston community and even the state community,” McCoy, a College of Communication junior, said at the meeting. “You are charged with an amazing role and an amazing duty.”
McCoy said he hopes students will rise to the occasion of being leaders in the community.
“It’s our time to step up and rise to the occasion,” he said. “To those who may doubt what BU stands for, we need to show them through our actions what we’re all about, show them through our work what we mean and show them through our words what we’re passionate about.”
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