News

As the Undergraduate Architecture Student Council, we propose that the University of Texas School of Architecture, UTSOA, invests in creating an in-house material supply shop, in the materials exchange space of the UTSOA Tech Lab, to prevent financial challenges from interfering with students’ academic growth within the School of Architecture. The purpose of this initiative is to provide accessible and affordable materials that are required for studio courses, in order to improve the academic success of students who are unable to afford regularly buying studio materials at the University Co-Op.

This bill amends the current Senate Bylaws to more accurately reflect the overall count of officially recognized college councils of the Senate of College Councils. Specifically, this bill changes the names and number of officially recognized college councils listed in the bylaws from 22 to 18, and removes the Undergraduate Exploratory Council, Graduate Communication Council, Master in Professional Accounting Council, and Student Bar Association.

This bill amends the current Senate Constitution to more accurately reflect the overall count of officially recognized college councils of the Senate of College Councils. Specifically, the number of officially recognized college councils listed in the constitution will change from 22 to 18 to account for the removal of the Undergraduate Exploratory Council, Graduate Communication Council, Master in Professional Accounting Council, and Student Bar Association.

The College of Liberal Arts website at the University of Texas at Austin serves as a crucial resource for both Liberal Arts students and the diverse university community. However, the website's current state falls short in terms of user-friendliness, intuitive navigation, and engaging content, which hinders effective communication and interaction. These shortcomings not only complicate the search for valuable scholarship opportunities but also impede access to essential resources like academic advising and research opportunities, vital for a high-quality education. Given these challenges, it is imperative for the College of Liberal Arts to recognize the urgent need for an improved online presence that caters to students, faculty, and visitors. Acknowledging the paramount academic importance of user-friendly, informative, and accessible department websites within the college, we propose substantial improvements to elevate its digital presence. This resolution aims to enhance the University of Texas at Austin's College of Liberal Arts' digital footprint, ensuring the accuracy and accessibility of the resources it provides.

Each year, the Senate of College Councils makes use of a budget granted by the University to fund itself and to provide funds to each of the College Councils. In order for this budget to become available to Senate and all members of the Assembly, it must be presented as legislation and approved by a vote of the General Assembly.

The College Tuition Budget Advisory Committee (CTBAC) survey is a biennial survey crafted by the Senate of College Councils and is aimed to gauge student sentiment on tuition and budget allocation processes at UT Austin. CTBAC will be administered over a fourth-month period and the resulting data will be analyzed and presented to relevant parties.

This Senate Resolution will provide the following: (1) affirm that the Senate stands in solidarity with the Executive Branch of the UNT Student Government Association, and supports the preservation of the 2001 Texas Dream Act; (2) Senate recognizes and celebrates the essential contributions of undocumented students to the University of Texas at Austin community; (3) in the event that the 2001 Texas Dream Act established by HB 1403 is reversed, the Senate should create a College Tuition and Budget Advisory Committee (CTBAC) to make recommendations for how the University of Texas at Austin can address matters of affordability and tuition for undocumented students. The resolution also requires that the CTBAC have undocumented student participation, and work in close consultation with organizations that support undocumented students at the University.

Consent education is a curriculum that teaches students how to define boundaries in personal interactions and how to recognize social cues. Right now, consent education consists of a series of online modules centered on sexual misconduct that students complete on their own. At UT, there is no plan in place to improve the current condition of consent education. Furthermore, the most recent sexual misconduct survey at UT indicated that 28% of female undergraduates report being victims of unwanted sexual advances. At UT, incoming freshmen are placed into First-Year Interest Groups, and this legislation would require that every FIG dedicate one meeting to consent education. This new format would allow students to actively engage with the material and ensure that they are prepared to understand what defines consent and how to communicate boundaries in their future relationships.

Pregnant and parenting students face unique challenges balancing family life and academic responsibilities. Though we of course respect the privacy of all students, it is often helpful for instructors to be notified of unique circumstances students might be facing which could potentially interfere with academic work or attendance. Notifying the instructor privately of these concerns early in the semester and before attendance becomes an issue can be extremely beneficial. It is the recommendation of the authors that the University of Texas at Austin adopt syllabus language that offers reasonable accommodations for pregnant and parenting students.. Inclusive syllabus language that offers discretion, reasonable accommodations, and protection under Title IX is a necessary step in creating a welcoming and equitable academic environment for students with dependents.

Decades of advocacy by undocumented and immigrant students can be traced back to the early 2000s, when the University Leadership Initiative (ULI) was formed, and before. In the present day, student-initiated programs such as the Monarch Program within the Division for Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) raise awareness, advocate, and support immigrant and undocumented students in their academic success, retention, and graduation. Despite their best efforts, however, they have seen themselves overwhelmed with the number of students and members of the community seeking support. This signals that more is needed to close existing service gaps. In response to these needs, students, alumni, and staff formed the Rooted Collective in 2019 to create the foundation for an official center that offers tailored, specific, and responsive services to undocumented and immigrant students. In 2021, the Rooted Collective assessed the needs of undocumented students and staff on campus. Two surveys were conducted, one with students and alumni and the other with staff and faculty, as well as focus groups with students and alumni. The research findings have guided and informed their goals with the creation of a center. Additionally, Rooted has created a proposal supporting the creation of an immigrant center.