On Monday, Oct. 18, Temple Student Government met for its third Senate meeting in which its members discussed upcoming events and introduced Senate Bill R10-9.
Jack Cesareo, vice president of Temple University Young Alumni, began the meeting by discussing ways in which his organization helps students network with other alumni.
“Alumni begins from the moment that you first step foot at Temple,” Cesareo said. “As you progress and as you graduate, you’re going to try to look for opportunities and resources to help improve your life.”
TUYA provides several different alumni events, such as the Business Card Exchange and Student Networking Night. Cesareo said attending these events can lead to networking opportunities and potential jobs.
Senate President Colin Saltry discussed the TU Alert system and TSG’s concern with the lack of information regarding crimes on or near campus.
On Friday, Oct. 15, a TU Advisory was issued in regards to a shooting death in a home on the 1900 block of North Warnock Street. No students were involved, but Saltry said he believes the TU Alert shows an improvement in the system.
“The fact that the information is being disseminated so that there’s not a panic out there is a good step forward,” Saltry said.
After a series of office and advisory reports as well as committee reports, Jake Musiker, the field organizer for the Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group, reminded TSG members about the importance of voting and how their involvement can increase voter turnout on campus.
PennPIRG works on several different issues including environmental protection, college affordability and food safety. Musiker said one of the most successful campaigns is the New Voter’s Project.
“[New Voter’s Project] is basically a giant, nation-wide voter registration, and get-out-the-vote drive aimed specifically towards college students,” Musiker said.
Musiker said although the deadline for voter registration has passed, PennPIRG aims to make sure all registered voters know where the polling stations are and who is running, so that they are prepared to vote in the midterm elections on Nov. 2.
“Youth voter excitement is down a little bit,” Musiker said. “Obviously this year doesn’t have all the glitz or the glamour of a presidential election but nonetheless, it’s still a midterm election. For people of any political persuasion, this is a very important election.”
Saltry then introduced Senate Bill R10-9, “an act providing for a competitive compensation initiative.” The act is intended to provide positive reinforcement to members of TSG through a point system.
If enacted by TSG Senate, each month, the top two “point-getters” would receive a proportion of diamond dollars. Also, at the end of the reporting periods, the top three point-getters would receive an additional sum of diamond dollars.
The idea is based on several different point categories, which would rate office hours, attendance to meetings and events and legislation authored. There would also be negative points, based on unexcused absences, dress code violations, among others.
Elected or appointed senators, the parliamentarian, senate clerk and the sergeant at arms would be eligible to receive compensation through the point system.
“[Competing] kind of adds an internal motivation to be the best that you can be,” Student Body President Natalie Ramos-Castillo said.
TSG members voted to send the bill into second-read legislation for the next Senate meeting.
TSG will meet for the second State of the Campus address on Monday, Oct. 25. The theme will be healthy eating and nutrition.
Cary Carr can be reached at cary.carr@temple.edu.
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