Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) senators unanimously passed a total of six action items at their meeting on Wednesday, March 13. The items passed included four MOU’s (Memorandum of Understanding) for undergraduate and graduate research, Homecoming and Vintage Days, a resolution supporting the creation of a new graduate school and student court appointments.
The MOU for graduate research is good for one year and will as of now pull from ASI reserves, but is expected to become a budgeted item in the future. The MOU is good for $25,000 and the amount will be matched by the provost’s office and doubled by the Dean Marshall of Research and Graduate Studies.
The graduate research MOU is a 3-year renewal of a previously existing MOU and is already budgeted in ASI funding. The grant is for $10,000 each year and will allow graduate students to apply to receive funding for a research project.
A resolution supporting the creation of a new graduate school by ASI was also passed. The resolution lists reasons why the graduate school should be implemented and urges the President to support the institution. The resolution was passed unanimously.
“We wanted to write a resolution in support of that so the [President’s] cabinet can see that the student body think this this is an important issue and an initiative that should be passed,” said Sen. Alex Chavez.
MOU’s to help fund Vintage Days and Homecoming were also passed after the contract was slightly reworked and finalized.
Student court appointments were also confirmed. During election season, the student court resolves any conflict between candidates and determines any breaches of policy. Coincidentally, all student court appointees are part of mock trial.
Additionally, VP Primavera Martinez revealed that ASI is working on a $3,000 scholarship for undocumented students. Work on the details of the project are still ongoing and led by VP Ben Warnerdam and VP Martinez.
Additionally, ASI granted $1,000 to the Domestic Abuse Survivor’s Pathway project headed up by MCJ professor Jes Therkelsen. The pathway will open on April 26 and is located in the wooded area near the fountain on the south side.
