Campus, News

SG proposes amendments to constitution


Adia Turner, director of social advocacy for Boston University’s Student Government, speaks at SG’s weekly meeting in the Photonics Center Monday night. GRANT HILLYER/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston University’s Student Government discussed spring semester plans, presented distribution updates from the Menstrual Products Initiative Committee and proposed a constitutional amendment at its meeting Monday night.

Nehemiah Dureus, a senior senator from the College of Engineering, began Monday’s meeting by announcing that volunteers for the Menstrual Products Initiative Committee will begin to place tampons and pads in bathrooms beginning Tuesday.

Dureus also took the opportunity to say that more senators need to take initiative in student government to get things done.

“There are two senates,” he said, “a senate that does the bare minimum to exist or a senate that does the maximum the constitution allows it to.”

Freshman representative from the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Rebecca Hyatt was then confirmed to the Executive Advisory Commision, which Senate Chair Andrew Chiao said is working to digitize all of SG’s old records to be placed in a file accessible to all BU students.

Brigitta Call, Senate vice-chair, then introduced the BU Beautification Project — which focuses on cleaning up BU’s campus as well as potentially creating a new campus mural.

SG cabinet members then provided updates from their various departments.

Aditya Jain, director of the Department of Academic Affairs, spoke about a new initiative called the General Review of Academics Development and Environment, a survey that will review academic satisfaction, faculty relations and other aspects of college life at BU.

Jain said he and his team are continuing to focus on grade deflation and grade transparency and hope to use the data from G.R.A.D.E. to better examine these issues.

Suzie O’Michael, director of the Department of Events, said she is hoping to increase school spirit through weekly SG events. She added that she is in the process of finalizing ideas for Spirit Week.

“School spirit is important because being at a campus, such as BU, there really isn’t any,” O’Michael said. “I think to bring the student body together, get them involved and get them excited to be a Terrier is very important.”

Adia Turner, director of the Department of Social Advocacy, announced that BU will be hosting a “Rape and Defense” class on Apr. 11 in the Sargent Activities Center gym.

“RAD class is a rape, defense, assault class that B.U.P.D. puts on, and it is really just to teach students and equip them with moves and a series of self-defense practices that they can use in an urban setting if someone tries to attack them unwarrantedly,” Turner said.

Executive Vice-President Hafzat Akanni and Vice-President of Finance Hector Meneses Jr. then presented the Constitutional Edits Amendment, a bill that would allow major edits to the document.

The changes, Akanni and Meneses said, are meant to clarify the operational sides of SG. Senate voted to table discussion, meaning the Constitutional Edits Amendment will be voted on next Monday.

Chiao ended by emphasizing the importance of these amendments.

“While there are still issues that are constantly being pointed out in the outbursts from Senate,” he said, “making a more well-written constitution helps us preserve the momentum that we have established this year going forward.”

Grant Hillyer contributed reporting.

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