The Student Government Association has been busy proposing new initiatives and a bill at their last two meetings.

SGA’s legislative initiatives committee is looking into the feasibility of four initiatives. These include the creation of a free speech zone on campus, the creation of an African American studies program, a place on campus for rugby players to practice and host games, and a new venue for St. Edward’s University’s graduation ceremonies.

The intergovernmental affairs committee is also working on a bill that aims to create the position of President pro tempore.

Initiating changes

The first initiative that came up for first reading at the Oct. 14 meeting addressed the issue of a free speech zone on campus.

After the on-campus feminist group Women Empowerment and other student body members expressed interest in a free speech zone to SGA, S.R. 101 was created in response.

The controversial nature of adding a free speech zone to campus, whether through an electronic or physical venue, makes research on it especially necessary, Noah Corn, committee chair for legislative initiatives and senator of the school of humanities, said.

Karissa Eudy, senator of the School of Education and chair of the student outreach committee, referenced an Oct. 13 editorial published in Hilltop Views.

“Even though Hilltop Views makes an argument against it, [a free speech zone] is still an issue to be addressed because enough students have come forward asking for one,” Eudy said.

Once an initiative or a bill moves from first reading to committee, the committee does research on it to determine its feasibility. Corn said the research would take a minimum of two weeks before the resolution goes up for final passage, the process that passes a resolution or bill into law, at another meeting.

“Seeing if the free speech zone is possible and in the best interest of students takes a lot of time and effort,” he said.

Diversifying the course load

The legislative initiatives committee is also looking into the possibility of an African American studies program. Elba Moise, senator of the school of natural sciences, authored the initiative creating the program, S.R. 102, because she thinks that adding a minor about African American cultural history would continue to diversify the course load offered at St. Edward’s.

Currently, St. Edward’s has programs for Latin American studies but nothing for African American studies.

In the past, one class about African American studies was offered. But when the professor teaching it left the university, the class was dropped, Moise said.

Moise has spoken to students who have expressed interest in the program.

Jessica Collins, a junior who is vice president for the Students of African American Heritage Association, said that an African American studies minor is a great idea.

“If St. Edward’s is going to preach about diversity and how diverse our campus is, then we need classes about African Americans,” Collins said. “We’re part of this campus, too.”

Adding school spirit opportunities

An initiative concerning club sports, rugby in particular, was addressed at the Oct. 14 meeting as well.

Sophomore Class Senator Nairod Woods, a rugby player for the St. Edward’s club team and author of the initiative, wants some rugby games to be played on campus next year. Most of the games have been played off campus so far.

In addition, Woods plans to reach out to the other club sports at St. Edward’s to see if his initiative, S.R. 105, can address any of their concerns. Club lacrosse and soccer already play on campus, but they may have other issues, Woods said.

Club sports, which are recognized by the university but not the NCAA, an organization that puts together the athletic programs of many universities in the United States, are just as much a part of the campus community as the NCAA-affiliated ones, Woods said.

Because of where rugby has to play, at the Austin Rugby Football Club’s Burr Field, the team does not draw as much of a crowd as it would like. This initiative could change that, Eudy said.

“It provides one more opportunity for students to get together and cheer for St. Edward’s teams,” Eudy, sponsor of S.R. 105, said at the Oct. 14 meeting.

One worry Woods has is that there is not a viable field on campus for the rugby team to practice.

“There are no fields on campus that are large enough to be a regulation field, there are no goal posts, and a rugby game produces a good deal of wear and tear on the fields it’s played on,” Woods said.

Graduating on campus

The last initiative discussed at the Oct. 14 meeting aims to have future graduation ceremonies on the St. Edward’s campus.

Celso Baez, chair of the IGA committee and senator of the senior class, created the piece of legislation because past graduation ceremonies have traditionally been at the University of Texas’s Frank Erwin Center.

Having the ceremonies on campus would foster one last show of unity and make graduating even more special for the senior class, Baez said at the Oct. 14 meeting.

He said that other small, private liberal arts institutions like Trinity University and St. Mary’s University graduate on three separate days at their recreation centers, which is an option for St. Edward’s.

He will look into other venues closer to campus if there is no place on campus large enough for graduating classes.

Corn, who sponsored S.R. 106, said that it is not guaranteed to happen and that a change in venue, if it does happen, might not happen immediately.

Some students, like Sarah Bassler, a junior graduating next fall, find the move from the Erwin Center to somewhere on campus appealing but also not likely to happen.

“It’d be really cool, but it just doesn’t seem possible because of class size,” Bassler said. “I can’t imagine cramming the senior class, their parents and friends into a place like the [Recreation and Convocation Center].”

Adding to SGA

SGA is also making changes within its organization by adding the position of President pro tempore.

This position was created after Vice President Krista Heiden, who chairs the senate every Thursday, was not able to make the Oct. 7 meeting, and Corn took her place.  

The President pro tempore would only be used in the event of Heiden’s absence and would otherwise have no other powers, Executive Class Senator Zac Peal said.

“The fact that we are trying to implement these changes should tell the student body that we are making an effort on their behalf,” Corn said.