UGS Passes Bills for Proportional VSO Funding and Bylaw Reforms

URGENT UPDATE: The Undergraduate Senate (UGS) has just passed critical bills that will reshape funding for student organizations and standardize election bylaws during a meeting on July 12, 2023. This decisive action follows intense discussions and amendments aimed at ensuring fairness and clarity for both undergraduate and graduate students.

The first bill, titled the Joint Bill to Establish Proportional Funding and Equitable Cost-Sharing For Student Activities Fee-Supported Organizations, introduces a groundbreaking cost-sharing system. This will require both undergraduates and graduates to contribute financially to student organizations in proportion to their participation. UGS Chair David Sengthay emphasized the importance of this bill, stating, “We are making it especially clear to graduate students that the bill does not mandate them to any fee increase. The bill is mandating them to the philosophy of joint participation.”

In a unanimous vote, this bill aims to address long-standing concerns regarding funding transparency and equity among student organizations. With the amendments made last week, graduate students’ feedback on defining and measuring participation was taken into account, ensuring that their voices are heard in this crucial matter.

Additionally, the UGS has passed the Bill to Amend the Undergraduate Senate Bylaws on Class President Governance and Election Provisions. This legislation seeks to establish clear roles and responsibilities for class presidents, which have historically lacked a defined structure within the ASSU. The new bill mandates the election of four class presidents across all classes, creating a standardized framework for governance that will enhance communication between students and administration.

Feedback from the Stanford Alumni Association (SAA) and class presidential advisors played a key role in shaping this bill, which also received unanimous support from the UGS.

The meeting also featured a presentation from political action co-chairs Intisar Alkhatib and Laila Ali, who discussed updates on the Free Speech Working Group and the implications following the abolition of the Neighborhood System. They revealed that this system was previously funded by a discretionary budget from President Jonathan Levin, which was not renewed after last year due to negative feedback from students. “Students really didn’t like the residency requirements, and they actually manifested to be very limiting to how students can navigate their Stanford journey,” noted Alkhatib.

Despite the dissolution of the Neighborhood System, which also meant the loss of popular events like Llamas on the Lawn, many students expressed their desire to have similar community-building activities reinstated.

Alkhatib and Ali are also advocating for clearer guidelines regarding protests at White Plaza, highlighting the need for accessible information about organizing rallies. They proposed that protests should not require registration, while tabling events would continue to need it. “I’m really excited to find places that we can have more amplified noise in, because while we say that we can use White Plaza any time, amplified noise is necessary when people are hosting a rally for a cause,” Ali stated passionately.

In response to these concerns, Associate Director of Student Organizations Pete Cerneka is initiating a pilot program called Student Collectives. This program will allow students to reserve spaces for protests without the necessity of being registered Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs).

These developments mark a significant step forward in student governance and funding at Stanford, underscoring the UGS’s commitment to creating a more equitable and participatory environment for all students. As these changes take effect, students and administration alike are urged to stay informed about upcoming adjustments and opportunities for involvement.

Stay tuned for more updates as the UGS continues to address student needs and refine its processes.