On Thursday night, ASMSU passed five new bills at their general assembly meeting. These bills range from allocating funds for a spring concert to creating a textbook exchange program to updating ASMSU’s code of operations. Here’s a breakdown of the bills and what they mean for students.
1. Bill 53-24 Create Textbook Exchange to Ease the Cost of Education for Students
This bill would develop a “Textbook Exchange” program where MSU students will be able to donate their textbooks at the end of the semester to the program for reuse by other students. The bill was created to combat high textbook costs and students who borrowed textbooks would be able to access them free of charge.
“Students will come here, they’ll donate their books, once we fill up a couple of boxes, we’ll call the library and tell them we’ve got them for them, the library will come in their truck and pick it up,” social science representative Max Donovan said.
From there, the books would be lightly catalogued so students can search for the textbooks they’d like to use through the library search system, he said.
This bill will allocate $500 from the general fund to cover the costs of labor and necessary administrative work to create the Textbook Exchange. The proposed sum was $4,000, but this was amended to $500.
2. Bill 53-28 Allocate Funds toward a collaborative Spring Entertainment Event
This bill will allocate $85,000 toward bringing an entertainment event to campus this spring. The University Activities Board, or UAB, the Residence Halls Association, or RHA, and ASMSU are planning to put on an event this spring for the undergraduate student body. The entertainment and date of the event have not been decided in advance.
“This is a concert that is to be held at the Breslin Center--there’s been a big push by the Breslin Center and by the Spartan Council, which is ASMSU, RHA, UAB, to utilize the Breslin Center and, kind of, put Michigan State on the map as a university that hosts big name concerts,” Vice President for Finance and Operations Jason Barnett said.
Through passing this bill, ASMSU hopes to create an event that will enhance the collective undergraduate student experience.
3. Bill 53-29 Advocate for Michigan House Bill No. 5949
This bill was passed to show support for House Bill No. 5949 through the Michigan State House of Representatives. Bill No. 5949, introduced by Representative Lee Chatfield (R-107), is a bill that would allow taxpayers to claim tax credits on textbook costs.
In passing bill 53-29 through ASMSU, the organization essentially supports the House Bill in lowering textbook costs.
“There is a federal tax credit right now, it’s called the American Opportunity Tax Credit, it allows students up to $2,500 each year for out-of-pocket costs and other expenses such as course material, tuition and fees,” Vice President for Governmental Affairs Alex Noffsinger said. “One of the benefits of this state bill is if this gets passed, is that students, when they take advantage of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, they can use more of that credit for their fees and tuition.”
4. Bill 53-30 Re-Brand the ASMSU Business Office as the “ASMSU Engagement Office
This bill was passed to rebrand ASMSU’s Business Office, which was established in 1965 to oversee financial and administrative services, according to the bill. Given that the office has evolved since 1965, the Business Office will be re-branded as the “ASMSU Engagement Office.”
Through passing this bill, changes to ASMSU’s Code of Operations were made to update the document. This includes changing mentions of the “Business Office” to the “ASMSU Engagement Office” and changing titles like “Business Office Manager” to “Business Manager.”
A sum of $300 was allocated to the marketing of the Engagement Office.
5. Bill 53-31 Update ASMSU’s Personnel Code of Operations
This bill will make changes to ASMSU’s Code of Operations. According to the bill, ASMSU’s Human Resources department has identified changes that needed to be made.
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One change includes adding Title XXII, Work From Home Policy to allow ASMSU employees to work remotely given they gain approval to do so. Another change is to include “or spring” to Title VIII, Internship Program so it reads “The selection process will be utilized, along with the decision making process, during the beginning of the fall or spring semesters.”
In addition, Title IX, Applications for Employment, was amended in that professional references from the applicant are no longer requested, ASMSU employees will not be required to reapply for the position they hold and all applicants are considered for all ASMSU roles when submitting an application.
