Emporia State’s Associated Student Government had a full plate of legislation on April 7 as student senators discussed possible modifications to the Dishonesty and Appeals Committee with ESU Faculty Senate representatives, a resolution recognizing worldwide humanitarian crises, and a resolution concerning ASG’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Training.
Faculty Senate members Deborah Hann, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, and Jorge Ballester, a member of the Committee on Campus Governance, were invited to ASG’s meeting to discuss feedback on a more effective academic appeals process and academic dishonesty overall.
The Faculty Senate’s Academic Affairs Committee intends to roll the academic dishonesty process into the obligations of the academic appeals process. In doing so, the Faculty Senate hopes to streamline the process and introduce a new mediation process between students and the professor.
“Previously, the chair in the past acted as a somewhat neutral person to mediate, but they were also involved in the process a little more about what decisions were being made and what options were available,” Hann said.
Senators recommended a variety of possibilities for the mediator position, including a rotating position for each college and a pool of mediators to be struck by the student before arriving at their preferred mediator.
The Senate then moved onto the first readings of ten pieces of legislation. The first piece of legislation with wider importance was a resolution recognizing humanitarian crises. The three crises recognized were Israel’s violence in Gaza, the war between Sudan’s government and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (North), and the ongoing border crisis at the United States-Mexico border.
“We decided to write this resolution because it’s our responsibility to have these tough conversations. These are human rights concerns,” said Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Chair Senator Hibah Yaseen.
ASG recommended students educate themselves, raise awareness, volunteer, donate, and network to make a difference in ongoing international humanitarian crises. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Concerning Kansas, ASG discussed a resolution recognizing the completion of DEI training for ASG’s DEI Committee. The resolution affirmed that the committee had received training from Dr. Nyk Robertson, ESU’s Chief Diversity Officer, and primarily concerned itself with defining the nature of DEI and affirming ASG’s commitment to DEI efforts at ESU.
The legislation states that “ASG must continue to promote identity-based RSOs to students, support identity-based RSOs through funding and attendance of events, create resolutions focused on DEI efforts and events such as Heritage Months, make DEI a priority through training(s) and conversations, and speak to networks about the impact anti-DEI actions have on our students.”
The resolution was passed unanimously.
ASG’s affirmation of DEI efforts on campus comes amid the Kansas House voting 81-39 to disallow public universities from using DEI inclusion statements during admissions and hiring.
Other pieces of legislation discussed included legislation recognizing new RSOs, internal ASG matters and deciding Recognized Student Organizations for the months of April and May.
