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This week in ASCSU: Constitutional amendments, DEIA student support

Laila Shekarchian, Staff Reporter

March 3, 2025

Collegian | Cait Mckinzie

Senators of the Associated Students of Colorado State University representing different Cultural Resource Centers stand in the front of the ASCSU senate chamber waiting to speak Feb. 19. Students and staff of various CRCs came to share their experiences on campus and the impact the centers have had on their lives.

The Associated Students of Colorado State University convened Feb. 26 for the 22nd session of the 54th senate.

Following the swearing-in of new senators and associates, the senate moved into gallery input, during which multiple students expressed concerns regarding diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility policies and the university administration’s response to federal directives.

In anticipation of a packed gallery following the Feb. 19 session, senate leadership elected to move the proceedings to the Never No Summer Ballroom in the Lory Student Center, allowing for additional members of the campus community to participate and speak directly to student representatives.

Speakers called on ASCSU to take action to further protect marginalized students and voiced support for new legislation that aims to protect students.

“I urge you to vote yes on the Student Protection Act and all of the bills regarding protective DEI measures here at CSU,” said Isabella Becker, a CSU junior. “The fight to uphold CSU’s values against the agenda of the current administration will be hard and losses are likely to happen, but it is the people who fill CSU’s classrooms, it is the people who pay tuition every year to be here and who run this institution by continuing to fight for the right to get an education.”

During gallery input, senators also provided updates on protections and support for immigrant and undocumented students. Following meetings with university leadership, a student, who prefers to remain anonymous, announced that a position created to support and provide resources to undocumented students is now permanently funded by CSU and built into the institution.

“I would also like to say that the fight is not over,” the student said. “A lot of our undocumented students right now are urging for there to be more support surrounding our mental health. … I urge everyone in this room to advocate for a community that sometimes can’t advocate for themselves.”

Following gallery input, ASCSU Chief Justice Morgan Wright read Supreme Court Opinion #5401. The opinion ruled ASCSU senators do not forfeit their right to vote while seeking election to an internal senate position.

Senate then ratified a new member of the Student Fee Review Board. Following a session of Q&A, discussion and debate, the candidate was approved with unanimous consent and subsequently sworn in.

Moving into new business, Lex #5417, “Creation of the At-Large Representative Student Council,” was introduced.

The lex will create a council allowing representatives to continue to serve under ASCSU in the event that their current position is discontinued or dissolved under future policy shifts at the federal level.

The lex was approved with unanimous consent and sent to the internal affairs and diversity, equity and inclusion committees for further review.

Resolution #5409, “Student Protection Act,” was then introduced. The legislation calls on university administration to codify protections for marginalized students under the current federal administration.

The resolution was sent to the internal affairs, DEI and university affairs committees for further review.

Next, Resolution #5410, “Supporting Student Coalition Letters Concerning DEI on Campus,” was introduced. The resolution aims for ASCSU to support a letter written by the CSU Coalition for Race, Gender and Ethnic Studies and a letter written by The People United.

The resolution was sent to internal affairs, university affairs and DEI committees for further review.

Moving into old business, Lex #5415, “Removing Old Language and an Inconsistency with Associate Senator Limitations,” was discussed. The lex aims to adjust wording in the ASCSU Constitution and ensure that more students are represented within ASCSU.

The lex was approved with unanimous consent and sent to the budgetary affairs committee for review.

The executive branch provided updates on its respective work and initiatives.

ASCSU senate will not convene March 5 to accommodate the State of the Association Address. It will resume March 12.

Reach Laila Shekarchian at news@collegian.com or on social media @CSUCollegian.

About the Contributor

Cait Mckinzie, Photo Director

Cait Mckinzie is a second-year student double majoring in art and journalism and media communication. She is one of two photo directors for the 2024-25 school year. Despite growing up in Renton, Washington, Mckinzie knew she wanted to go to Colorado State University since middle school. She had only ever been to Colorado twice, but she visited campus once, and that was all it took. At first, there wasn’t much in Fort Collins that Mckinzie was familiar with. But in high school, she was the co-head of visuals for her school newspaper, so she applied to The Collegian as a photographer to get back into a similar environment. Mckinzie was first introduced to photography by her grandfather, who has been a photographer most of his life. After he gifted Mckinzie her first camera in her junior year of high school, she began to take any assignment she could for her high school paper to improve her skills. Of all the memories made in her first year at CSU, most of the interesting ones came from The Collegian. One Halloween drag show assignment, a lot of mentorship and a few months of practice later, Mckinzie found herself being offered the position of photo director for the next academic school year. Mckinzie is excited for another year at The Collegian and aims to continue learning and growing during her time as one of the photo directors.

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