UPUA will be discussing new legislation today that, if passed, would allow for a Movin’ On liaison to be a formally elected position.
The meeting will be held at 8 p.m. tonight in 302 HUB-Robeson Center.
The addition of this position would allow for the University Park Undergraduate Association to have greater involvement in Movin’ On and have a greater focus in its preparations, Rick Pooler (junior-electrical engineering), chair of the Academic Affairs committee, said.
UPUA has been a sponsor of Movin’ On, an annual free music festival held every spring for students, for many years, and it has been a, “strong relationship,” Tim Gould, overall director of Movin’ On, said.
“They bring to the table a voice from a student organization, and we are able to get a better sense of overall student opinion,” Gould (senior- geobiology) said.
While UPUA has had Movin’ On liaisons in the past that allow for this relationship, Dray Krishnan, chair of the Internal Development Committee, said UPUA now wants to have a formal policy for someone to be selected to this role. Krishnan (sophomore-accounting and economics) said he hopes that would create more accountability for the liaison to work with Movin’ On.
Whoever is elected would not act as liaison until Movin’ On 2014, Krishnan said. A simple majority vote will be used for the legislation to be passed.
Gould said there has not been a problem with the UPUA liaisons for Movin’ On in the past and hopes this formal position will keep things that way.
Also at the meeting today, UPUA will be electing in a new chair of the Academic Affairs Committee because Pooler will be stepping down after this semester.
In the running is Melissa McCleerly, who is currently the College of Liberal the Arts representative. One of her main goals is to change the requirements for other cultures classes for students.
“I want to examine requirements to create more understanding of other cultures,” McCleerly (sophomore- political science and women’s studies).
Other representatives besides McCleerly could also be running for the position.
Additionally, legislation regarding the Know Your Rights campaign that was brought to the floor at last week’s meeting will not be discussed further at today’s meeting, however changes to the legislation will be reconsidered this Thursday at the Academic Affairs Committee meeting.
The Know Your Rights campaign is a way for students to be aware of their academic rights, Pooler said. Changes to the legislation have not significantly altered the original proposal, he said.
“It is the same concept, but the real flaw was in the marketing plan,” Pooler said.
UPUA is trying to create an easy-to-understand website for students that would show them the tools and venues available to them so they can be informed of their academic rights ensured by faculty and administration.
The reformulated legislation will hopefully be ready for the general assembly by the first meeting of next semester, Pooler said.
