Rioting has become an unavoidable issue among Colorado State University students, according to the ASCSU Senate. Wednesday night the ASCSU Senate approved Resolution #4407: Rioting Not a CSU Tradition.

The resolution officially denounces rioting and reminds students that rioting directly violates articles nine and 10 of the Student Conduct Code.

Article nine of the conduct code states: “Rioting: aiding, abetting, encouraging, participating in or inciting a riot. Failing to disperse at the direct request of police or University officials.”

Article 10 states: “Failure to comply with the verbal or written directions of any University officials or law enforcement officers acting in the performance of their duties and in the scope of their employment, or resisting police officers while acting in the performance of their duties, including failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so.”

Opponents to the resolution Wednesday said that it does not go far enough.  They argued that the resolution does nothing to stop the rioting and only acts as a public relations move by ASCSU.

“I don’t think that passing this will get anything done,” Senator Jason Sydoriak said. “This is just a PR move.”

Sydoriak and Senator Kwon Yearby both brought up the fact that ASCSU approved a nearly identical resolution 10 years ago, and the problem has persisted.

Proponents of the resolution say that this does not have to be the last step.

“This doesn’t have to be the end,” said Deputy Chief Justice Rioux Jordan. “What this does is it tells the community: we don’t like riots, and it sets the stage for us to do things in the future.”

According to its proponents, Resolution #4407 is a chance for ASCSU to show that they do not support this behavior and to create a platform from which to launch more substantial legislation that could help put an end to this behavior.

Collegian ASCSU Beat Reporter Jonathan Matheny can be reached online at news@collegian.com or on twitter @jonathanmathen2