The third meeting of the 50th Associated Students of Colorado State University senate began with the swearing-in of new senators and associates.

This included eight new members sworn into the senate.

Jen Johnson, in an interim position of the office of Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement, was a guest speaker at the senate meeting. Johnson talked about the good relationship SLiCE has with ASCSU. 

“We need and want to be able to create spaces for students.” -Jen Johnson, guest speaker

“2020 and 2021 will be years that we will never forget,” Jen Johnson said. “You are in your college careers, and people will be asking you about this for the rest of your life. That requires leadership, and I greatly appreciate you all for what you’re doing.” 

Jen Johnson also encouraged ASCSU members to spread the word about student inclusion activities, including the food pantry SLiCE has set up. Jen Johnson also said students who aren’t able to get food in person can get it delivered. 

Jen Johnson talked about keeping the Lory Student Center open throughout the breaks to allow students who need it to get internet access, and also looking at getting heaters to put outside to expand the space students can use. 

“We need and want to be able to create spaces for students,” Jen Johnson said. 

Frank Johnson, a captain with the CSU Police Department, was a guest speaker in support of a new bill Senator Kyle Hill hoped to pass about bike security. Frank Johnson talked about bike theft on campus, which he said is one of the top crimes on campus.

“What we’re looking to do is place cameras around the bike racks, particularly in the Corbett and Parmelee (halls) area,” Frank Johnson said. “We also have bike locks donated to the students in those areas. We want to do what we can to secure the area and those bikes.”

Frank Johnson said Parmelee and Corbett halls are the places where people’s bikes are most likely to be stolen. Johnson said the total price to put cameras on the bike racks near Parmelee would be around $11,000 and near Corbett around $10,000. The costs include both the cameras and the labor to install them.

“The cameras on the bike racks will help us identify the thieves, but it will also help to deter people from coming to campus and victimizing our students,” Frank Johnson said. 

Frank Johnson said it would take about six to eight weeks to get the cameras installed. 

Some senators questioned whether Frank Johnson could get funding from the Alternative Transportation Fee Advisory Board instead, and Frank Johnson said he would be open to that as well. 

After the guest speakers, the senate went over executive and committee affairs before going over parliamentary procedures for new senators and associate senators. This included going over definitions and what associated senators can and cannot vote on. 

Christian Dykson, the speaker of the senate, encouraged new senators to speak gracefully and with respect to properly represent the offices and colleges they come from.

Dykson also went over the procedures of writing bills for the new senators. 

After going over the procedures, Senator Lizzy Osterhoudt talked about writing a bill for a travel grant to allow Indigenous students to go home. Osterhoudt said this bill comes in a time where COVID-19 has hit Native homes hard and told the senate to be on the lookout for the bill. 

Senator Ehret Nottingham talked about updating the Student Conduct Code to combat racism and anti-Semitism. Nottingham said he is in the beginning stages and has already met with students in the Jewish community. 

Senator Diego Tovar said he is working on putting together a diversity caucus and wants more input from the senate. 

Senator Swetha Varadarajan said she is working on combating the new legislation that lets international students have a two-year visa and can apply for two more years. Varadarajan said the legislation limits students from certain countries, like the Middle East and Africa, from applying for the extension. 

Before the senate adjourned, Dykson encouraged the senators to write at least one piece of legislation during their time as a senator and asked them to look around them and find something that they want to change on campus. 

The senate ended with the singing of the CSU Fight Song and final remarks from Dykson.

Ceci Taylor can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @cecelia_twt.