Public policy senior Domonique Clemons, president of the associated students, addresses the policy committee at the ASMSU meeting on Sept. 24, 2015 in the Student Affairs and Services building. He said that he hopes to use the skills gained during his time at ASMSU to work in local or state government in Michigan.
The Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) have passed legislation pertaining to It's On Us National Week of Action, medical amnesty and funding for higher education.
Here are the three bills passed by ASMSU this week and what they could mean for students.
1. ASMSU allocated $2,000 to fund the Greek Pledge Drive for It's On Us Week of Action.
The money will be split for the winning sorority or fraternity who gets the most students to take the It's On Us pledge.
ASMSU will give $1,000 towards their philanthropy and the other $1,000 towards a donation to MSU Safe Place in the name of their fraternity or sorority.
"Regardless of ten people or one person, $2,000 isn't enough to help those having sleepless nights because they were attacked on campus," said ASMSU President and public policy senior Domonique Clemons.
Clemons said the pledge's main purpose is to reach as many students on campus in order to educate students on sexual assault and consent.
The drive will only include National Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council. The drive will exclude the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council chapters.
MGC includes ten multicultural fraternities and sororities on campus and NPHC includes nine African-American and international fraternities and sororities on campus.
2. ASMSU now advocates for the expansion of the Medical Amnesty law that will include prescription drugs, heroin, and other opioid-based substances.
Michigan State Representative Sam Singh (D) has proposed legislation that would expand medical amnesty for all individuals who have drug overdoses and need medical attention.
"It (bill expansion) would save lives," said. "It's a common sense piece of legislation that we would be wrong to not get behind," said ASMSU Vice President for Governmental Affairs and political theory junior Bryn Williams.
3. ASMSU supports the Student Aid Bill of Rights and the Degrees Not Debt campaign.
ASMSU will urge Congress to reauthorize the Higher Education Act this Fall. They will also call on President Lou Anna K. Simon to support the values of the Student Aid Bill of Rights and implore Michigan’s legislature to commit to more funding for higher education.
The price of higher education has become a hot topic for the general assembly and advocating towards change is now a reality.
"The inflating cost of higher education is not sustainable for our generation, it's not sustainable for future generations if we want to make a world that's truly a better place, education really is the fundamental aspect of progress," Williams said.
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