The Student Government Assembly approved resolutions at a meeting on Tuesday regarding the city’s proposed urban rail route and opening the Flawn Academic Center on a 24/7 schedule.
The assembly also passed a resolution in support of the city’s Proposition 1. If approved by voters, the proposition would dedicate $600 million in bond money to an urban rail route, which would run from East Riverside to ACC-Highland. The route would stop three times on campus along San Jacinto and Trinity streets. The proposition also requires to city to acquire $400 million toward road projects and corridor studies.
University-wide representative Taral Patel said the rail would give students who live off campus more transportation options. SG passed resolutions in April and October 2013 in support of the line running by campus on Guadalupe Street.
“By bringing this infrastructure, we have the option to reach out and explore the routes that we do want,” Patel said.
The assembly unanimously passed a resolution in support of the University operating the FAC on a 24/7 basis. Patel said the plan to implement the change is ahead of schedule and the project may be funded sooner than originally anticipated.
“It’s really important that this happen so we have a solid 24/7 study space on campus like a lot of universities do,” Patel said. “I have a lot of friends at other universities [with] exams going on right now, and they are very happy that they get to stay on campus all night. Well, I mean they are not happy about the tests, but at least they have a place to study for it.”
SG President Kori Rady said he anticipates the new FAC hours may start by next month.
“I don’t want to get too much into detail or make any promises too early on — but potentially before November,” Rady said.
The Perry–Castañeda Library will begin operating on its 24/5 schedule Sunday at noon.
Also at the meeting, Melysa Barth, Rules and Regulations Committee chair, said the SG’s code of rules and procedures was still under review in committee. The code is being formatted into a single, detailed document that clarifies SG rules, removing contradictions and adding compliance with the Dean of Students’ office.
“We recalled the vote per a few requests, and it is still in committee, which is why we are not hearing it tonight,” Barth said. “There were a few edits that were brought to our attention that were not brought to the last meeting, which is why we recalled the vote.”
In a fast-track vote, SG members also approved a resolution standing by Relationship Violence Prevention Month, hosted by Voices Against Violence.
“It’s finally becoming a mainstream conversation where people are coming together and saying that we will not stand for sexual assault or domestic violence,” Patel said.
A new resolution was proposed at the meeting that called for equal access to all course materials. The resolution proposed that students registered with Services for Students with Disabilities have access to course materials that accommodate their needs.
