ASG passes measures in support of Uptown Wi-Fi and inclusive pronouns

Senators in Associated Student Government (ASG) approved a resolution to support free wireless access Uptown and a bill to encourage the use of preferred pronouns in official senate communications during their meeting on March 5. Senate also approved the final funding allocations for the semester.

Charles Kennick has been discussing the possibility of free Wi-Fi Uptown with City Council for two years as chair of the Student/Community Relations Commission (SCRC), an advisory body for the Oxford City Council, and as ASG Secretary for Off-Campus Affairs.

City Councilor Glenn Ellerbe -- who sits on SCRC -- advised the commission that a demonstration of ASG support for the idea would encourage City Council to approve the idea.

The project proposes centering the Wi-Fi signal in Oxford Memorial Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The city's tourism bureau would pay for the service, possibly with advertising revenue from local businesses that appear on the network login page.

ASG unanimously approved the resolution. Kennick then left the meeting to bring the proposal to City Council.

Senators Brandon Small and Demetre Carnot introduced a bill to charge ASG's Secretary of Communications and Media Relations to include senators' preferred pronouns on communications such as their placards and ASG's website. This inclusion would be an opt-in-only practice, so as to not place pressure on senators who wish not to share pronouns. ASG unanimously approved the bill, which is their second action for more inclusive pronouns this year.

Senate also voted unanimously to approve the funding allocations for student organizations left out of the first round of funding hearings because they could not prove their Red Brick Rewards tier placement.

Parliamentarian Max Mellott questioned why some of the student organizations are still not placed in any of the Red Brick Rewards tiers, which the funding committee attributed to lack of effort on the part of the organizations.

"I'm glad to see that number is lower, but it really should be zero," Mellott said.

glynnee@miamioh.edu