Eastern Michigan University’s Student Government met just before the 2021-2022 Senator Elections, on Tuesday, March 23. New business included voting on two resolutions, Resolution 107-06 and 107-7, which were both passed by unanimous vote.
Authored by Senator Jeffrey Hoang and supported by Parliamentarian Tyler Kochman, Resolution 107-06 is proposed to have a conversation with LAZ Parking/Park EMU asking them to provide students with digital notifications any time they get a citation.
Currently, LAZ Parking/Park EMU issues citations by leaving a paper ticket on the student/staff’s car. On the other hand, everything else regarding parking is done digitally such as buying a parking pass and the license plate scanner used. Students do not get directly notified via text or email if issued a citation which can lead to days of not knowing or weather damage to the citation.
Student Government Senators are hoping to be able to have a conversation with LAZ Parking/ Park EMU about this issue. “The next step in the process is just making our concerns known to ParkEMU/LAZ Parking by sending Resolution 107-06 to them. The hope is that they will be responsive, want to meet, and have a real discussion on how to implement a digital citation system,” said Senator Hoang.
Next, Resolution 107-07 was proposed to change the bylaws stating that Student Government meetings may be moved to the previous Monday on public election days throughout the year, as authored by Parliamentarian Kochman and supported by Jeffrey Hoang. Instead of having a Student Government meeting on the usual Tuesday, the meeting would move to the day before (Monday) to allow for all election days if they choose to do so.
Before, the bylaws stated that this was only possible in the month of November and has now been passed to cover every month out of the year and any statewide, federal, or local election in Ypsilanti.
“I feel that this change is important as it recognizes the significance of elections. It enables student government members who want to spend as much election night encouraging students to get out the vote. It gives Student Government members with busy schedules a time at which they will have little excuse but to vote if they had not already voted earlier,” Kochman said.
The bylaws also state that Student Government must come to a ⅔ vote at an earlier meeting before the election week in order to override the moving of the meeting. This would happen in cases where Student Government wants to keep the original Tuesday meeting time and not meet on the previous Monday of an election week.
The next and final Student Government meeting for the current Senators will be held on April 6. For more information, visit emusg.com
