The Associated Students of Michigan State University, or ASMSU, has passed legislation pertaining to the Safe Campus Act and the MSU People Search.
Here is a list of bills passed by ASMSU this week and what they could mean for students.
Six takeaways from ASMSU's last meeting of the year
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.
1. ASMSU now advocates against the Safe Campus Act of 2015 and will urge the United States Congress to reject the bill.
The act will inhibit the investigation process for institutions of higher education and police respond to incidents of sexual assault by establishing reporting guidelines that are intended to improve adjudication processes for claimants and respondents.
However, ASMSU concluded the act would inhibit IHE's ability to investigate sexual assault cases.
Nationally, sororities and fraternities who originally supported the bill have begun to pull out of the process and not support it passing.
2. ASMSU changed the MSU People Search directory from a default "opt-out" to a “opt-in” information policy of student information.
MSU people search currently acts as a opt-out policy. Students who do not wish to have their information on the site can go into their student information account and change it so only the default email will appear.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Lorenzo Santavicca said the opt-in process will protect student information and ensure students' profiles only display information they ask to be displayed.
Sanatvicca is working with MSU IT to carry out the default setting changes to MSU people search.
3. ASMSU allocated $2,000 to host the Student Association of Michigan conference in February.
The 15 public universities meet every month to discuss student issues.
The conference has requested MSU host in February.
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4. ASMSU allocated $8,890 to support the Multicultural and National Pan-Hellenic Greek Councils to attend the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values conference.
The $8,980 will go towards sending and lodging Greek members in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the conference is held this year.
5. ASMSU now urges the Michigan State Legislature to oppose any efforts to further disenfranchise young voters through legislation, like S.B. 639.
S.B. 639 provisions do not allow individuals who have registered by mail to vote absentee and restricts the City Clerks’ ability to deputize individuals to increase access to absentee voting,
ASMSU states that MSU relies heavily on absentee voting and that the passing of S.B. 639 would disenfranchise student voters completely.
6. ASMSU advocates that the Michigan Legislature pass HB 5041.
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HB 5041 would allow landlords to improve their property without increasing legal occupancy limits.
ASMSU believes the bill would benefit student tenants by allowing landlords to improve the properties they own.
ASMSU also passed a last minute bill to send 100 students to the Cotton Bowl on buses for $150 each. The money would also include a hotel room.
