In its last meeting of the semester,the College Life Council of Associated Students discussed past events A.S. held, future A.S. events, reactions to the San Bernardino mass shooting and actions by the University Affairs Board.
Diversity event
The student diversity commission held an event called Empowering A.S. Through Diversity on Wednesday, Dec. 2, in the Park Boulevard room of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union and A.S. Executive Director Christina Brown praised the panel discussion, which featured four diverse student leaders.
“It was one of the best discussions I have heard in a long time, and it busted the myth that if you don’t hold a seat (in government), you don’t have a voice,” she said.
A.S. Diversity Commissioner Arnelle Sambile said her commission discussed concerns they had regarding the hate crime near SDSU Parking Structure 6. They passed those concerns along to A.S. President Blaire Ward, who expressed them to President Hirshman.
Ward asked the other council members to familiarize themselves with the list of demands made by the Muslim Student Association announced at a demonstration on campus against Islamophobia on Nov. 23.
Randy Timm, SDSU dean of students, said the university is doing a study to increase the number of gender neutral bathrooms on campus.
“The goal is to have one within a two-minute walk from each other,” Timm said.
San Bernardino shootings
Timm spoke about the mass shooting in San Bernardino that occurred Wednesday, Dec. 2.
He said the university is having talks about how to improve campus safety.
“How do we address fear without feeling like we have lost safety?” Timm said. “These are questions we are addressing as a campus community.”
Tyler Aguilar, A.S. vice president of external relations, said council members should stay informed on the issue of gun control over break so they can discuss the issue with students.
University Affairs Board
Vice President of University Affairs Andrea Byrd updated the council on the recent activity with the University Affairs Board. She said the board has been working on implementing better signage to showcase the fact that driving vehicles in bike lanes is illegal, enforcing the ban on riding bikes and skateboards across university bridges and asking Aztec Shops if leftover meal plan money can be donated to the Economic Crisis Response Team on campus. The board will also put together a focus group next semester to evaluate the effectiveness of the waitlist that was added to the class registration process.
A tree mosaic in the Council Chambers of the student union is set to be completed over winter break. The funds for the project will come out of the student union fund.
Recreation and Wellness Committee Chair Chris Thomas let the other council members know the ARC Express will be closed starting Dec. 19 but will reopen during weekdays from 12 to 7 p.m. starting Jan. 4.
The next College Life Council meeting will take place Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 3:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the student union.
