Student Government Association addresses exterior lighting on campus, other resolutions | News

A re-evaluation of exterior lighting on campus and funding for new student organizations were topics talked about during the Texas Tech Student Government Association meeting Thursday night.

In the first reading, Rawls School of Business Senator Austin Phillips talked about the proposal of Senate Resolution 56.134. It addresses the reevaluation of the exterior lighting in front of the dorm halls and around campus.

 “You can barely see what is right in front of you, right around the corner because of just how dimly lit a lot of these areas are,” Phillips said.

He expressed these concerns to the Exterior Light Advisory Council meeting and they were very receptive to this issue and pushed it to the top of their list of action items for this quarter, Phillips said.

Senate Bill 56.137, The Fairness & Equity In Funding Act of 2021 was also proposed by Honors College Senator Neil Patel.

 “New organizations and organizations that don’t have a substantial funding history, they can apply for a fund called a core value fund,” Patel said.

These organizations can use that fund in consideration for the budget and finance process Patel said.

It moved to the third reading and final passage.

In the second reading, Senate Resolution 56.117 was reintroduced. It is a Bill regarding the implementation of digital RaiderCards instead of a physical card.

Senator Avery Garcia of Arts and Sciences said that a digital RaiderCard will provide numerous benefits for the student population and the environment.

It passed for immediate adoption.

Also in the second reading, Senate Resolution 56.111 was reintroduced. The Resolution regards the adoption of a Land Acknowledgement to be read after the United States of America and Texas pledges of allegiance before the Senate meetings.

 This is to commemorate the land that they are on and that have had many Native Americans on said land before and for many generations according to the resolution.

The resolution passed for immediate adoption.

Other Senate bills reintroduced in second reading include,

• A bill stating the support of SG branded chess boards to local Lubbock elementary schools
• Having professors use Microsoft PowerPoint closed captioning for recorded lectures
• QR gatekeeping certification for SGA and other student organizations
• Having laminated paper QR codes for students to give feedback to SGA through said QR codes.

SGA congratulated many different groups and people during this meeting.

SGA congratulated Tech alumnus Scott Sureddin and his company DHL in his, and the company’s, efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. It has been easier to distribute the vaccine due to DHL’s introduction of robotics to support their staff in this time.

SGA also congratulated the Texas Tech Meat Judging team for their national championship win on Nov. 1, this is their 15th national title.

 SGA expresses their condolences to the friends and family of Jessica Sara Helmers who died on Jan. 16 2021.