The WKU Student Government Association unanimously passed a bill to provide new vouchers for free CPR certifications and a resolution to add accessible bathroom stalls in Grise Hall.
The vouchers, funded by Bill 2-26-S, will cover the cost of certifications through the Area Health Education Center’s WKU CPR Training Center. The bill passed during the unfinished business portion of SGA’s weekly meeting Tuesday. CPR Training is an addition to SGA’s voucher program, which offers free identification cards, dental cleaning and transcripts.
Senator At-Large Amelia Tucker introduced the bill with a timer projected on the screens in front of the chamber.
“In the one minute and 28 seconds this timer has been counting down, someone in the U.S. has needed to receive CPR,” Tucker said.
CPR training costs can range from $75 to $100, according to the center’s website. Tucker said many students have to pay out of pocket for certifications, which are necessary for their classes.
Vouchers will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis at the SGA desk, with six vouchers for two different certification types, Heartsaver and Basic Life Support.
Chief of Staff Maggie Yelton said seven dental vouchers, one ID voucher and 13 transcript vouchers remain for the semester, and encouraged senators to spread the word about the program. SGA also offers materials to borrow, including umbrellas, calculators and hammocks.
The bill passed unanimously after a short questioning period and three affirmative speeches from senators Karlee Powell, Jakob Barker and Caden Lucas.
Barker said the bill “intersects perfectly into what SGA accomplishes as an organization, not only for the students, but also, like you said, for the safety of the campus.”
Junior Senator Eli Carter presented Resolution 7-25-F, a “Resolution to Support the Installation of Additional Handicapped-Accessible Restrooms and/or Stalls in Grise Hall,” according to the agenda. Mike Payton, father and caretaker of Noah Payton, a student and wheelchair user, said he noticed a lack of accessibility in the Grise Hall bathrooms.
“It’s kind of crazy that there’s only one large stall in all of Grise Hall,” Carter said. “If you have class on the fifth floor and you need to be able to access a large stall, you shouldn’t have to go down to the second floor.”
The Resolution passed unanimously.
WKU Police Chief Mitchell Walker and David Oliver, the director of Environmental Health & Safety, advised Campus Safety and Security Committee Officer Veronica Butler to communicate the necessity of signing up for alerts through TopNet. Butler said that following the reports of shots fired near the Registry and amid nationwide campus safety issues, signing up for alerts is “really important.”
Chief Communication Officer Preston Jenkins reported that the mural column in the SGA Chambers is complete. Two sides have been painted by student artists, and the other two sides will be converted into a chalk wall. Originally, four artists were slated to paint each side of the column, but two backed out.
Vice President Savanna Kurtz announced that tabling efforts by the Enrollment and Student Experience committee produced applicants for the SGA Promise and the Bluegrass Leadership scholarship, both of which are due on April 3.
Chief Financial Officer Gabriel Jerdon reminded the association that organizational aid applications are due Friday. Each campus organization may apply for up to $500 of SGA funding.
Jerdon also reviewed the association’s legislative discretionary budget spending. SGA spent $5,088 of its $10,999 budget by the end of Tuesday’s meeting. At the same time last year, SGA spent $7,492 of its $10,704 budget.
“Just remember, we’re trying to work together on bills, trying to have the exact amount on bills, trying to be creative,” Jerdon said.
He said that members of SGA shouldn’t be “giving away” money to organizations or departments, but that they “have a lot of work to do.”
Next week’s new business docket includes five items:
- Bill 3-26-S. Funding for the STEMPOWERMENT and SGA Uno Tournament Fundraiser
- Resolution 2-26-S. Resolution to Support the Repeal of the Previous Set of SGA Bylaws and Adopt the Amended Executive and Legislative Bylaws
- Bill 4-26-S. Funding for SGA Period Baskets
- Bill 5-26-S. Funding for SGA International Women’s Day Tabling Event
- Bill 26-25-F. A Bill to Fund New Ping Pong Paddles and Balls for the Zacharias Hall Recreation Room
Lucas explained the resolution to repeal the previous set of SGA bylaws during his report for the Bylaw Review Committee. SGA members received a paper copy of the amended executive and legislative bylaws before the meeting began. His committee will present an overview of the changes next week.
