The members of Student Senate were of one mind on Wednesday evening, passing four pieces of legislation without extended debate.
The Student Senate unanimously passed the Religious Inclusion of the Invocation Act, which amends the Student Government Association code to invite different religious groups to offer a prayer during the meeting. According to the Act, although the SGA is not a religious entity, an invocation is required at the start of every meeting. The amendment reads, “Arrange for individuals from various faiths, religions, or none at all to present the invocation at all General Assembly Meetings.”
Tate Banks, chair of academic affairs, Chandler Trosclair, on campus caucus and Hannah Spurr, constituency affairs chair introduced a bill to promote the Aggie Core Values and Aggies that embody them. The Student Senate passed the bill unanimously. The bill recognizes the months of September, October and November of 2019, and February, March and April of 2020, as Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Selfless Service and Respect, respectively.
This bill also creates a Core Values committee that, according to the bill, “will take nominations from Student Senators for current or former Aggies to honor during each month who have exhibited that month’s Core Value in the course of their life to an extraordinary degree.” The committee will then select an Aggie to honor during that month.
The Student Senate passed a resolution to officially recognize September 15 – October 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month, to “extend an encouraging gesture” to the 23.9 percent of Aggies that identify as Hispanic or Latinx. The week of September 15 was proclaimed as Hispanic Heritage Month in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and was extended to October 15 in 1988 by President Ronald Regan.
The Student Senate also passed a resolution to thank Congressman Bill Flores, class of 1976, for his public service in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Flores has served as the representative of the 17th Congressional District of Texas for the past eight years, and is a member of the Mays Business School Advisory Board, Corps of Cadets Council, Corps of Cadets Association, Houston A&M Club, and Brazos County A&M Club.