The Associated Students of Colorado State University convened Oct. 28 for the 12th session of the 56th Senate.
Following the swearing in of new senators and associates, the ratification of the Student Fee Review Board took place. The Student Fee Review Board is chaired by ASCSU’s vice president and oversees the allocation of approximately $74 million in student fees toward student-oriented campus services.
Next was the ratification of two ASCSU department of traditions and programming interns, Sydney Liedtke and Eleanor Rapier.
“Both (of) these people have worked pretty well with student government,” said Nick Nye, associate director of traditions and programming. “They both (will) pretty much help me table and help me plan small events, as well as (with) the rest of the traditions department.”
Both positions were ratified via oral vote by the senate.
To conclude ratifications, incoming associate justice Mae Audus was confirmed. Audus will serve within the judicial branch to enforce the ASCSU Constitution and represent the student body during conduct proceedings at the university.
For old business, senate began by reviewing the edits made to Lex #5616, “Amending the Job Description for the Director of Student Voice and Belonging,” which was written by Associate Sen. Soledad Vega-Langley, Sen. Ashley Perez, Sen. David Zavala and Sen. Vanessa Escobar Romero.
The lex would change the job description of the director of student voice and belonging to include language specifying the director will manage and oversee the mandatory Know Your Rights training for all ASCSU officials.
Following the sighting of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Oct. 1 at the CSU Fort Collins Campus, the authors of the lex said they felt it was important ASCSU officials know how to inform students on their rights.
The lex was passed by senate via placard vote.
To start off new business, Lex #5619, “Funding and Supporting the 2026 Trans Day of Remembrance Ceremony at Colorado State University” was presented to the senate. The lex written by Associate Sen. Enock Monanti and Sen. Liri Sananes, who respectively chair ASCSU’s Housing and Basic Needs Caucus and Accessibility Caucus.
According to ASCSU legislation from the 55th Senate, ASCSU senators were informed last year that CSU would no longer publicly support the Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony — which had been hosted by the university for roughly 10 years prior — after concerns about potential lawsuits for not following previously issued federal executive orders. ASCSU senators responded by funding the ceremony through the Student Organization Discretionary Fund, which this lex intends to do again.
“This is a day where folks get to remember the people who unfortunately passed,” Monanti said. “It’s a tradition that typically (the Pride Resource Center) had been able to host for a long time until quite recently — I wonder why. But we, at least last year, were able to work with student orgs and help continue that tradition.”
The lex was sent to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Budgetary committees for edits.
The next piece of legislation for new business was Bill #5620, “Funding Sexual Health and Safety Kits for Students,” which was written by Sen. Mackenzie Franks.
“This bill aims to allocate $3,000 to fund sexual health and safety kits to be distributed to students through the Women and Social Justice Caucus,” the first draft of the bill reads.
For further review and edits, the bill was sent to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Budgetary committees.
Up next was the introduction of Bill #5621, “SFRB Bylaws Update,” which was written by SFRB Vice Chair Nick Nye and ASCSU Vice President and SFRB Chair Ben Gregg.
“The bylaws haven’t really been amended properly since 2022,” Gregg said. “Nick was the primary writer on the bylaws since he has more SFRB experience than I do.”
Gregg also introduced another bill, Bill #5622, “Proposed Solution to the ASCSU Budget Shortfall.”
According to the first draft, this bill aims to address the ASCSU $63,614 budget shortfall due to a 4% student enrollment decrease for the 2026-27 year. Since ASCSU is primarily funded by student fees, the subsequent decrease in fees from lower enrollment led to Gregg and Nye proposing cuts to resolve the issue.
“(Be it hereby enacted) that $30,000 will be earmarked from the ASCSU Fund Balance, that $30,000 will be reduced from the Board of Student Organization Funding’s FY26-27 budget and that $3,614.68 will be reduced from the Senate discretionary fund to meet our budget constraint,” the bill reads.
Bill #5622 was then sent to University Affairs, Internal Affairs and Budget and Appropriations committees for further review.
For reports, Senator BrookeLyn Reese gave attention to news that broke earlier in the day regarding the resignation of CSU President Amy Parsons. Reese also referenced the recent Q&A at CSU between Parsons and Amy Goodman, an investigative and broadcast journalist, which happened the day before her resignation was announced.
“Amy Parsons asked Amy Goodman, a notable investigative reporter and journalist, ‘What can the university do to help campus advocacy in journalism’ — that’s paraphrased,” Reese said. “Essentially, Amy Parsons asked Amy Goodman what we’ve asked for over and over again.”
Reese said she hopes to collaborate with ASCSU President Victoria Quesada-Stoner to make sure students are involved in the process to find Parsons’ successor.
ASCSU will reconvene Nov. 4.
Reach Katya Aruba at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
