The Associated Students of Colorado State University convened Nov. 13 for the 14th session of the 54th senate.
To begin the session, University Affairs Committee Chair Fiona Miller made a statement in support of Bill #5408. Miller said she believes that establishing an emergency medical service department at CSU would foster student success, as it would make the required clinical experience more accessible to students who plan to work in the medical field.
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“This bill provides students with a better opportunity to focus on schoolwork while also preparing them for medical school applications,” Miller said. “Providing funding for an EMS service at CSU is something that could draw new students towards CSU as well. CSU has a great amount of resources for students, and I think that an EMS service is an incredible addition.”
Following Miller’s remarks, Sen. Elijah Sandoval made a statement sharing a personal experience of encountering a racially charged comment on campus. Sandoval urged members to take action and spread awareness if they witness or experience acts of bias on campus.
“We as a community cannot say silent,” Sandoval said. “There are resources here on campus where you can find community, where you can talk to someone, where you can be heard. Me telling you this story isn’t going to make that person come forward and own up to what he said, what he did, … but what this will do is bring these things to light.”
The senate then proceeded to ratify a new member of the Board for Student Organization Funding and moved into the election of the newest Students of The Oval Caucus chair. Sen. Vladimir Lora Pardo was nominated for the position.
“For Students of The Oval Caucus, it’s kind of like a bridge between ASCSU and the student body,” Lora Pardo said. “I just want to give that power back to the student body in order for them to attend a university where they are represented, where it feels like they are heard, where it feels like they are seen.”
Following Q&A, Lora Pardo was approved with unanimous consent and subsequently sworn in as chair of the Students of The Oval Caucus.
The executive, legislative and judicial branches then provided updates on their respective work, initiatives and upcoming events.
Moving into new business, senate introduced Bill #5408, “Funding of CSU EMS Service.”
The bill, written by Associate Sen. Cole Johnson, aims to provide $20,000 of funding for a student-run licensed EMS service through the CSU EMS Club. The funding would provide the resources necessary to purchase medical supplies, and to hire a medical director who would oversee the services to CSU students at university events and campus activities.
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“The mission is to provide funding for CSU EMS to provide critical lifesaving medical care to CSU staff and students as well as providing continuing education and volunteering opportunities to aspiring medical professionals,” said Jasper Kehoe, president of CSU EMS Club.
Kehoe said this program would benefit campus safety, saying 90% of CSU students polled claimed they would be more comfortable calling emergency services if they knew student EMTs would be the first on the scene.
Senators expressed support for the bill, which then was sent to committees for further review.
ASCSU senate will resume Nov. 20.
Reach Laila Shekarchian at news@collegian.com or on social media @CSUCollegian.
