The Associated Student Government Senate passed its first legislation of the quarter Wednesday, voting to approve the Federal Funding Resolving Legislation.
By passing the resolution, ASG took an official stance on the Trump administration’s $790 million federal funding freeze on Northwestern announced last week. The resolution strongly condemned the freeze and approved an open letter to the Board of Trustees, urging the Board to consider ASG’s concerns.
“I hope that the legislation will, at the very least, give students peace of mind that we are aware of what’s going on in the country and how it might affect Northwestern,” Communication junior and Senator Ryan Lien said. “It is key that the school prioritizes initiatives that make people feel welcome here and that make undergraduate life accessible to all Wildcats.”
The letter was written in the event that the University does not get its funding back, and it asks the Board of Trustees to consider the student experience if new funding decisions are made. It specifically asks that the Board keep in mind the importance of resources such as financial aid, student organizations and activities and other student services, Lien said.
There were no major concerns or proposed amendments to the legislation. Lien announced ASG is now collecting students’ signatures for the letter.
The Senate also voted to pass a Resolution for Northwestern Cold Days, requesting that the University take action when the temperature is minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill to prioritize student safety. This would include encouraging professors to either cancel classes or hold Zoom classes on these days, and provide students with more detailed schedules for the Frostbite shuttles.
The legislation was written by SESP freshman and ASG Parliamentarian JJ Nabors-Moore and Weinberg freshman and Student Group Caucus Whip Margaret Zhang. Since Nabors-Moore is parliamentarian and can’t propose resolutions, Zhang took the lead.
“I really supported that project because, as someone who came from California, Chicago is a pretty big switch up and I feel like it’s important that the University has clear guidelines for when we’re expected to attend class and resources we have for when it’s really cold,” Zhang said. “Other schools have that, so I think it’s important that Northwestern also has that.”
Senators discussed the fact that live-tracking cannot be implemented for the Frostbite shuttles and that the shuttles won’t be able to accommodate all students on campus. Senators also discussed future research into the costs of increasing the frequency of the shuttles as a part of a separation piece of legislation.
During the Executive Board Reports, Medill sophomore and Academic Committee Chair Norah D’Cruze boldly declared: “Who here wants $10,000?”.
She said the Student Faculty Interaction Grant, allocated by the provost, provides $10,000 to fund out-of-class activities. If the money is not used within the quarter, ASG will not receive the grant again. D’Cruze encouraged senators to share information about the grant with classmates, friends and professors to ensure the money is used.
The meeting also included elections for two members of the Rules Committee and the position of Undergraduate Schools Caucus whip.
McCormick freshman and Senator Patrick Eleazar and Bienen sophomore and Senator Calvin Simmers were elected and sworn into the Rules Committee. Simmers said he wanted to be a part of the committee to learn more about how legislation is passed and become more involved in ASG overall.
“I’m trying to pass more resolutions to help out not only the Bienen community, but also the Northwestern community,” Simmers said.
Lien was elected and sworn in as the Undergraduate Schools caucus whip after citing his involvement in student theater productions and Norris University Center event operations as qualifications and skills that would suit him well in the role.
“I hope to keep my ear to the ground to hear about issues facing senators and their constituents from all schools,” Lien said.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— ASG Senate elects new parliamentarian, swears in student group senators
— New student organizations receive $11,000 in funding from ASG Senate
— ASG establishes committee to address FGLI student concerns over summer aid policy changes
