On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the USG Senate addressed recent anti-semitic vandalism on campus and confirmed Evelyn Stovin as Executive Chair of Gender and Sexuality Topics. The Senate also received reports on upcoming Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Title IX initiatives.
Senator Dylan Lindsey began the meeting with a moment of silence for the Michigan State University shooting. Recognizing continued gun violence across the country, Senator Lindsay acknowledged how numbing these events can be but nonetheless encouraged students to remain engaged.
“I make these remarks not to cause fear but to extend support to the students of Michigan State University, to encourage our own peers at the University of Denver to speak up if they see something that concerns them, and to remind students of the resources that exist and are highlighted on our social media pages,” said Lindsay.
President Abbie McAdams and Justice Primus Nina Morgenstein then addressed the recent anti-Semetic incidents on campus. As a member of the Hillel campus community, Morgenstein reminded senators of the importance of standing up to hateful acts, stating “hate crimes come from small words and small actions.” President McAdams then encouraged senators to sign onto a statement condemning such unjust actions on campus.
The Senate also received an executive report on both IFC and Title IX planned initiatives. Student Relations intends to host a tailgate on March 3 in collaboration with IFC and USG. Students will have the opportunity to receive Narcan training through DU EMS and can obtain free fentanyl testing strips from Health Promotion.
Title IX events were also announced by Frankie Stroud, Executive Chair of Title IX & Equal Opportunity Topics. On March 1, an interactive workshop will be organized to assist students in reporting violations of Title IX policy. The time and location are still yet to be determined.
Stroud also highlighted efforts in reforming outreach language to make resources and rights more accessible to students. In a similar vein, Stroud announced plans for a “Meet IX and Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Empowerment (CAPE)” event with the intention of increasing the approachability of the two bodies for students to report potential violations. This event is tentatively set for March 28.
If there was any contention within the meeting, it concerned Bill 65 and the confirmation of a new Executive Chair of Gender and Sexuality Topics. Evelyn Stovin was nominated for the position, currently serving as the treasurer of the Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) and president of the DU Running Club.
Director of Student Advocacy, Sergio Hernandez Alcantara, nominated and advocated for Stovin saying they had a “leg-up on handling queer issues on campus.” Further support was seen by Senators Rika Ruiz and Violet Butler who spoke of Stovin as being an “outstanding student leader in QSA” and “having [their] full support.”
In their speech to the legislature, Stovin spoke of their intentions if confirmed as the new Executive Chair of Gender and Sexuality Topics. These proposals included outreach to the Disability Chair on the intersectionality of disability and queer issues, while providing extensive sex education for queer and trans students.
Still, several senators raised concern regarding the nomination process after Stovin clarified they were only made aware of the position and their nomination a few weeks ago. Senator Dylan Lindsey also questioned how the position was advertised. Typically, any notice of new nominations and bills would have been included in the USG newsletter, but Bill 65 was left out of the letter’s most recent iteration. Despite the hiccups, Stovin was overwhelmingly confirmed by the USG Senate.
For committee reports, Senator Lindsey Baker announced that the Elections Committee is finalizing USG election timelines for the Spring, including a possible collaboration with the DU Clarion for presidential and vice-presidential debates.
Senator Violet Butler and the Diversity Committee (DIVCOM) reported they are working with administration to better understand retention rates for both transfer and international students. DIVCOM is also actively discussing the removal of the Pioneer moniker, following a Faculty Senator’s request to do so, although it was unclear whether this discussion was indicative of actual movement on the contentious issue. Students would then have the opportunity to decide on a new mascot.
