Student Senate approves bills for bike repair station, event funding

Sugar Land junior Ali Sohani, who helped co-author a bill to put in a bike repair station outside the Bill Daniel Student Center, sits in on the Student Senate meeting Thursday. The bill passed 20-17. Kevin Freeman | Lariat Photographer
Sugar Land junior Ali Sohani, who helped co-author a bill to put in a bike repair station outside the Bill Daniel Student Center, sits in on the Student Senate meeting Thursday. The bill passed 20-17.
Kevin Freeman | Lariat Photographer

By Madison Miller
Reporter

During their weekly Thursday meeting, Student Senate voted on four bills, three of which would provide funding for different culture club events.

The Senate voted on a budget to give the Nu Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma $2,500 for their third annual “More Than We Can Bear” event that raises awareness of African-Americans with mental illnesses. The proposal passed unanimously.

The second bill proposed for a bike repair station to be located on Fifth Street in front of the Bill Daniel Student Center.

“It helps and aids those with bikes on campus,” Sugar Land junior Ali Sohani, who co-authored the bill, said.

Some questioned if this repair station would be able to be used mopeds and scooters.

“This is for specifically the hundreds and thousands of bicycles on campus,” Frisco junior James Porter said. “If you own a bike, at some point or another you are going to need a pump.”

Other questions were raised about how the logistics of this proposal, and if it would be similar to the bike repair station at the Baylor Marina. This particular bike station would cost between $3,000 and $5,000 according to the bill.The bill also proposed to use $3,662 of the funding originally allocated to Student Government.

“As far as my knowledge, we are contributing to the overall funding of the station,” director of Student Activities Matt Burchett said.   

The bill passed with a vote of 20-17.

The Senate also voted on a bill to give $7,039 to help fund the  Indian Subcontinent Student Association’s 20th annual Gateway to India that is set to take place on March 28 in Waco Hall.

“It’s just a way for Baylor students and everyone to get a feel of what the Indian culture is like,” Frisco senior Uzair Shahnawaz said.

The bill passed unanimously.

A bill proposing the Student Government assist with funding the Asian Student Association’s 10th Annual Chinese New Year event was voted on. The bill passed unanimously, even with the event taking place less than an hour after the decision was made. Student Senate voted to allocate $2,499.99 to the Asian Student Association.

The Senate did multiple first read-throughs of bills that will be voted on after spring break.