Miami University Associated Student Government (ASG) passed six bills Tuesday April 3.
ASG unanimously passed a bill supporting green-space wireless coverage, a resolution supporting the collegiate housing and infrastructure act and a resolution to support the restructuring of the Miami regional campuses.
ASG also passed a resolution to remind instructors to return academic assessments in an appropriate timeframe, a bill supporting additional information on academic transcripts and a bill recommending the addition of speed bumps on the service drive for King Café.
The academic transcript bill, which would require a distinction on a student's transcript between courses taken at each of Miami's campuses and honors and non-honors courses, inspired debate among the senators.
Senator Ashley Burke opposed the bill because she said the differences between the campuses would not influence potential employers to not hire a student.
"I think this is somewhat elitist in thinking that the difference between a regional campus and the Oxford campus should influence your future career," Burke said. "A Miami education is a Miami education no matter where you get it."
Secretary for Academic Affairs Tyler Sinclair disagreed.
"I would say that it is most certainly not elitist for us to be proud of us going to an institution that has strict and rigorous academic standards," Sinclair said. "I think it is only fair that we be differentiated from those that are held to a lower standard."
Last week ASG introduced a bill supporting a Medical Emergency Assistance Program.
This week ASG brought in Gail Walenga, assistant vice president of student affairs, to help clarify what the Medical Emergency Assistance Program will do.
Walenga said currently the university and the Miami University Police Department (MUPD) do not cite students if they make it to the emergency room without the notice of their residence assistant (RA) or MUPD.
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This new policy would allow a student to seek help from their RA, MUPD or to call 911 and not be cited by the university.
Walenga said most parents she has heard from as well as the Oxford Police Department (OPD) support this new policy.
According to Walenga, however, the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (OESCR) and MUPD Chief of Police John McCandless do not support this program.
There are over 70 schools around the country, including Ohio University, with similar policies to the Medical Emergency Assistance Program in place.
Walenga urged ASG to support the bill.
"I think the advantage of having ASG support this is we can move it forward," Walenga said.
The bill supporting the Medical Emergency Assistance Program will be discussed at the next ASG meeting April 10.
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