News

some new legislation

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 resolution calls for improvements to Eureka, the university’s database for undergraduate research opportunities, which is currently underutilized and often outdated. It proposes the introduction of a “Eureka Quick Submission” survey that would be sent to faculty each semester to collect new or updated project listings automatically. By streamlining the update process and encouraging broader participation, the legislation seeks to strengthen the university’s undergraduate research ecosystem and make research opportunities more visible to students.

This resolution urges the University of Texas at Austin to join peer institutions in providing free Canva Pro subscriptions to all students through the Canva for Campus initiative. Access to Canva Pro would equip students with professional design tools for coursework, research posters, and personal branding, while also supporting student organizations in creating high-quality marketing materials.

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.

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 resolution establishes Student Infrastructure Committees (SICs) within each college to ensure that student perspectives are represented in campus infrastructure planning and renovation decisions. By creating these committees under the guidance of each college’s Associate Dean for Facilities, students will have a formal role in providing feedback on projects that affect their academic environments, such as study spaces and classroom improvements.

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.