CLIMATE CHECK
Junior Senator Sabrina Cinque brought up concerns about transparency with residential life and multiple complaints from students over residential life policies. Chief of Staff Harrison Tinker mentioned a previous proposal for a board between residential assistants and SGA.
Senior Senator Blaine Martin provided an update on the Trinity water filtration system. He spoke with Ernesto Gonzalez about water filtration, and Gonzalez reported that all filters had been updated. According to Gonzalez, high-travel areas are replaced quarterly, and other filters are replaced at the proper times of four to six months. Gonzalez found a more cost-effective filter that does not update the light, which is why the filter lights are currently red, regardless of their status. Concerns about broken water stations, general accessibility concerns and other facilities will be addressed in an upcoming meeting with Gonzalez.
Sophomore Senator Madelyn Stovall questioned what happens when a student complains or reports a food concern. Chief of Staff Tinker specifically emphasized that in order for students to resolve their concerns over food, the quickest and most effective way is to talk directly with the head chef at Mabee Dining Hall as soon as they spot the issue. This way, Mabee staff can find the source of the issue as soon as it’s spotted. Photos and complaints, according to Tinker, don’t do much.
STAFF CHAT
SGA invited Police Chief Paul Chapa and Assistant Chief John Rowse to speak on their role as the heads of TUPD and the role of TUPD as a whole. Chapa emphasized serving the student population, and how his goal was not to punish students but to provide teaching opportunities. Rowse echoed this sentiment, and mentioned that he was able to be more lenient with repercussions compared to the real world.
Chapa and Rowse encouraged students to attend TUPD’s and SGA’s Trinity Night Out on Oct. 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be free food, an inflatable joust and a dunking booth, as well as a San Antonio Fire Department engine.
Chapa showed a video by TUPD showing cases handled by the TUPD over the years. The cases demonstrated included a student requesting help with a tie, a student choking, a man with a pipe and a gun, a man with a gun at the bus stop, a suspicious vehicle with an AR-15, a burglar with active felony warrants and a domestic violence arrest. Nearly all arrests made were not students, according to Chapa.
Chapa stated that force is heavily discouraged in TUPD, and that when it comes to force, “the goal is to obtain compliance.” Chapa emphasized that they have the Texas Police Chief Association’s Best Practices recognition and International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrator’s accreditation.
At the end of the presentation, Treasurer John Ferretti adamantly requested to be tasered and was denied by TUPD.
BYLAW REVISIONS
The Bylaw revision process was completed after President Joy Areola explained the process. The updates are as follows:
Article 1, Section 4 was updated to edit the roles of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) chair.
A requirement was added to Article 3, Section 5 requiring all senators to attend two identity-based events per semester and confirm attendance with the DEI Chair, currently Trinity Hatchett.
Article 5 underwent many edits to remove redundancy, add clear plans of action within the text and correct wording and verbiage.
Article 6, Section 2 was updated to change the election procedures of the bylaws to match the election procedures listed in the constitution.
Article 7 was edited to better define the process for requesting funding, how to submit funding requests outside of the school year and a redefinition of the Finance Committee members’ responsibilities. If two or more organizations are requesting funding for the same event, they are now required to submit the request together.
The last change was to Article 9, assigning the role of risk manager to the president.
OFFICER REPORTS
The only officer report was provided by Treasurer Ferretti over approved funding requests from the past week. He listed that three sororities and fraternities were granted funding for a total of $1059.04, two identity-based organizations were granted total funding of $1675.92, a special interest group was granted $740.37, two club sports organizations were granted total funding of $1677.16 and a social action and services organization was awarded $992.97.
