Student Rights Bill passed by USG

Last year, the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments drafted the Students' Bill of Rights, which supports the rights of students to be free from discrimination.

Now the Bill has the support of the Undergraduate Student Government.

The USG Senate approved a resolution last night endorsing CCSG's attempt to include the Students' Bill of Rights in the University's view-books mailed to incoming students.

"If CCSG thinks they can run with this, let's give them a chance," said Brian Heller, town senator.

With the support of USG, CCSG and the Graduate Student Association, the University administration will be more likely to endorse the Bill, said senate President Josh Smith, a sponsor of the resolution.

"This has great potential," Smith said.

The Students' Bill of Rights differs from the University's Statement of Nondiscrimination because it explains what students are entitled to, not just the responsibilities of the University, Smith said.

Senators who opposed the Bill's endorsement argued the Bill is unnecessary and poorly written, with flawed grammar and vague wording.

"These rights are already there," said Jason Wynnycky, town senator.

Wording that supports "safe-havens" and offers students freedom from "any type of abuse" is particularly unclear, Wynnycky said.

"Right No. 7 is not even a complete sentence," added Andy Nagypal, town senator.

"Ongoing improvements in the Pennsylvania State University's opposition to intolerance and continued evaluation of course material and programming to promote the diversity of all students both in the classrooms and all programs at the University," states right seven of the Bill.

The Students' Bill of Rights mainly reaffirms rights established in the Constitution of the United States and University rules, said Michael Peters, chairman of the CCSG multicultural affairs committee.

The bill, however, is the only statement of rights commissioned and written by University students, Peters said.

"Students can look at the Students' Bill of Rights and see that it was put together by students," Peters said.

The Bill is posted on the multicultural affairs committee's World Wide Web site at www.clubs.psu.edu/ccsg/committees/mcapage/page5.html.