At Wednesday evening’s UPUA meeting, the motion made by Internal Development Chair Dray Krishnan to censure Student Life Chair Justin Laskowski was postponed indefinitely.
Krishnan motioned at the Oct. 17 meeting to censure Laskowski (junior-philosophy) after he attempted to pass a piece of legislation through the student life committee that was similar to one that the internal development committee previously failed to pass.
If the motion had passed, Laskowski would have received a mark on his record and an implication that the assembly is angered by his former action.
Chairman of the Assembly Spencer Malloy said the censure was an embarrassment that potentially could have endangered the assembly’s ability to function.
“Everyone needs to remember we are a student government and we are appointed to serve for the undergraduate student body,” Malloy (senior-philosophy and agroecology) said.
Krishnan moved to amend the motion because he said he felt the purpose of censuring did not coincide with his original intentions.
“What you are saying by voting yes is that the 44,000 University Park undergraduate students condemn this action,” Krishnan (sophomore-economics and accounting) said. “I don’t think that was the intention of what I had done was.”
The assembly also voted to allocate $909.77 to fund 123 pizzas for the Red Cross Club’s 19th annual Penn State-Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge taking place Oct. 29 through Nov. 8.
In return for the pizzas University Park Undergraduate Association will be funding, the Red Cross will be placing the UPUA logo on various print materials, mailbox inserts, daily press releases, email updates and on tee shirts that will be given to each donor.
Chair of Diversity Dutch Markward (sophomore-business administration)said the legislation passed unanimously through the student life committee and that he believes it is going to be great for the assembly because it gets the UPUA name out there.
Borough Council Representative Laurel Petrulionis said she did not support the legislation because not all students will be able to participate in the blood drive.
“While I see the act commendable, I would like to point out that not all students may be able to participate,” Petrulionis (sophomore-communications) said. “Men who have relations with other men cannot participate, therefore it doesn’t benefit all students.”
Off-Campus Representative Anthony Christina (senior-history)also expressed his concerns saying the project would take up 45 percent of the diversity budget and would only allow for a 5 percent tip.
The assembly also voted unanimously that the university’s dry campus policy is a failing policy.
“As one of the few 21-year-olds, I think it is definitely a fail policy,” Earth and Mineral Sciences Representative Dan Tauriello (senior-geography) said. “The policy is a violation of the law.”
