ASWSU Senators unanimously passed a resolution during a meeting Wednesday calling for the creation of a standardized pass issued by WSU Counseling and Psychological Services to prevent academic penalizations for mental health appointments.
ASWSU Senator Oluwanifemi “Nife” Shola-Dare authored the bill and said her goal is to make it easier for students to schedule mental health appointments. The pass would rid students of their worry that they might fall behind in school if they seek mental health help during class.
Hopefully, the resolution increases mental health help-seeking behavior among students by normalizing the idea of going to an appointment or attending therapy, she said.
Diversity, equity and inclusion training
Senators will attend a training within six weeks of the start of the fall and spring semesters or of taking office. ASWSU Senator Lauren Slater wrote the bill and said the resolution is a passion project of hers.
Slater said the bill’s intention is to ensure representatives of the student body are educated about how to be an ally to all students.
Learning how to effectively and respectfully communicate with constituents is important, she said.
“My hope with this bill is that we learn how to communicate better and communicate more respectfully with everyone around us,” Slater said. “Even us within the senate, and communicating with the executive as well.”
ASWSU Senators unanimously passed and endorsed a resolution for no assignments to be due on break days established in lieu of the traditional week-long spring break during a meeting Wednesday.
The resolution is to ensure students take care of their well-being during break days, according to the resolution. Senator Jilian Hutchison-Blouin wrote the resolution with Senator Oluwanifemi “Nife” Shola-Dare as a sponsor.
The loss of a traditional spring break significantly impacted the health and academics of students and faculty members, according to the resolution.
“I know that a lot of students have had issues with having assignments due on the mental health break day last week,” Hutchison-Blouin said.
ASWSU unanimously approved to place a $5 student fee initiative on the ASWSU ballot, which would support the WSU food bank in creating a sustainable solution for student food insecurity, during a meeting Wednesday.
Currently, volunteers operate the food pantry. Donations come from community members and businesses like the Community Action Center and Moscow Food Co-op. Volunteer efforts are not a good long-term plan to address the issue, said ASWSU Senator Oluwanifemi “Nife” Shola-Dare and referendum co-author.
“We should all be surprised, and also disappointed, that there is nowhere in WSU’s budget that is allocated for the food pantry on campus,” Shola-Dare said.