The Associated Student Government (ASG) met Tuesday to discuss the university's plans to put a new Traders Greens in the Americas dining hall on Maple Street. ASG also discussed a resolution that would call for a change to the Oxford Police Department's (OPD) detention policy and an amendment that would create a Secretary for Sustainability position in ASG's cabinet. Lastly, they confirmed a new member to senate.
Senior Secretary for On-Campus Affairs Cole Tyman had information from the university on the Traders Green project.
"Traders Green is extremely popular, the line is enormous every day and the dining administration knows it is one of its more popular concepts," Tyman said. "The Americas is having a bit of a tough time so to give students what they want, they will be bringing the Traders Greens concept to the Americas on Maple Street. It used to be in Scott dining hall last year, but since that closed, there has only been one available Traders Greens on campus this year."
According to Tyman, Traders Greens should be available in the Americas dining hall by Monday, Nov. 18, but if electrical work is an issue, it will be ready for when students return from Thanksgiving break.
In need of a new senator, ASG held an election. Freshman Ben Bolton felt he was the right candidate for the position.
"ASG is going to be playing a pivotal role in change at the university," Bolton said. "Personally I think Miami is going to be so different in 20 years than what it is now and I want to say that I was a member of ASG which played this pivotal role for change."
Bolton was confirmed to the senate with a 42-1 vote.
ASG then discussed two pieces of legislation. The first piece was a resolution calling for a change to OPD's detention policy.
The authors of the resolution are senior Student Body Vice-President Courtney Bernard, senior Secretary for On-Campus Affairs, senior Secretary for Off-Campus Affairs Ari Frum, and senior senator Liz Beumel and endorsed by senior Student Body President Charlie Schreiber.
"We have written this bill primarily because, as many of you have heard, Oxford PD has gone through a practice over the last few months in which if you are caught in underage consumption or possession of alcohol, by OPD not MUPD, the general practice is that no matter what you'll be taken to Butler County Jail," Schreiber said.
According to Tyman there can be a bond of up to $1,150 in order to be released from jail, otherwise the students have to wait in jail until the arraignment. The jail is also 15 miles away from the school, making it an inconvenient trip back for students without means of transportation. In the authors' opinions, this policy is too extreme and should be pulled back.
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"We aren't saying that this practice is unnecessary in all situations, we are just saying that we don't support a policy where it is required for an officer to take someone who is solely charged with underage consumption of alcohol or public intoxication," Bernard said.
Senior Vice President for Student Organizations Kyle Hees thought this seemed to be asking the police department to change a law to accommodate privileged college students, and that it wasn't accommodating for all students, including high school students in the area.
"It's not a law, it's a practice," Tyman said. "We will change that part, we didn't intend for it to be only for Miami students."
He went on to explain that they are not trying to change a law, but rather call for a change to a departmental policy.
After a few senators brought up the suggestion of police administering a blood alcohol content (BAC) test before arresting students, senate advisor Eric Buller said BAC should not matter when a student is underage because any amount of alcohol in their system is illegal regardless.
Next, ASG discussed an amendment that would create a Secretary for Sustainability position in ASG's cabinet.
The authors of this amendment are senior Student Body President Charlie Schreiber, senior Student Body Vice-President Courtney Bernard, senior Secretary for On-Campus Affairs Cole Tyman, and junior senator Rachel Myers.
Schreiber explained that this will be an unpaid position starting in the spring semester to test it out before it becomes a paid position.
"This position will help ASG more formally support the universities efforts for sustainability," Bernard said.
Tyman also believes the position will be beneficial to the senate and university.
"Students are not in the room enough when the university is meeting about issues of sustainability and we need a voice in this matter," he said.
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