Associated Student Government passed three pieces of legislation at its Wednesday meeting, asking Northwestern to offer Indigenous language classes to students aiming to fulfill language requirements, update Books for ’Cats 2.0 and expand access to student athletic tickets for graduate students.
Indigenous language learning
Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance Senator and Weinberg senior Lula Fox introduced the Resolution to Support Indigenous Language Learning at Northwestern, which passed with 16 votes. The resolution urges the University to support students learning Indigenous languages, including by creating Indigenous language classes.
Fox said she and other NAISA members have been developing this policy for years.
She said she has been learning CHamoru, an Indigenous language of Guam, to fulfill her undergraduate language requirement. However, Fox said she has been struggling to learn it because the University has not provided her with any support.
“That is why we decided to write the legislation,” Fox said. “Just to show the University that there is student support for Native languages with ASG.”
She said the legislation had already been enacted by the School of Education and Social Policy, so the school’s students can now take Indigenous language courses to fulfill their language requirement.
Medill and SESP first-year Monica Riley said SESP allowing Native languages to fulfill language requirements sets an important example for other schools.
McCormick sophomore Abigail Buell said institutional support is important for learning an Indigenous language because “they are endangered now.”
Books for ’Cats 2.0 update
ASG passed an update to the Books for ’Cats 2.0 legislation that will push for expanding access to textbooks and other course materials by allowing students to rent books instead of taking them out on loan.
Weinberg sophomore and Senator Ivani Phillips, who proposed the update, said it was added because the loan process can give more charges to students through maintenance costs.
She said renting is more flexible and means students will not have to pay for additional loan costs, which she said is important for students who cannot afford them.
With this update passed, Phillips said she will now advocate for NU administration to adopt the policy.
“I’m just so happy that students have passed this updated legislation,” Phillips said. “It’s important to have student input on programs that directly impact students, especially with textbooks, that are, in a way, funded by students’ tuition.”
Student athletic tickets for graduate students
Additionally, ASG senators voted to pass a resolution proposed by Communication senior and Parliamentarian Ryan Lien last week that asks NU to give graduate students access to student tickets to athletic events.
He said graduate students should be able to attend the same athletic events as undergraduate students.
Next week, ASG senators will vote on three more resolutions, including one to designate two campus lost-and-found centers — one for the north and one for the south part of campus.
Email: [email protected]
Bluesky: @isadoraufernandes.bsky.social
Related Stories:
— Adarsh, Sisco win in second attempt at Associated Student Government presidency
— With the ASG presidential election in full swing, meet the candidates in the running
— By The Numbers: Adarsh, Sisco won slim victory against ‘joke campaign’ in ASG presidential election
