During Thursday’s student senate meeting, Jansen Penny, junior in industrial engineering and student body president, proposed a bill to take $175,000 from the Privilege Fee Debt Reduction and Emergency Allocation Account to cover what was not received from student privilege fees due to decrease in enrollment.
“This needs to be passed to get back in the black,” Penny said.
He added that due to this, the privilege fee will most likely rise in the coming years.
“Short term doesn’t look good for student fees,” Penny said.
The bill will be up for a vote next week.
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In addition, SGA heard from Sydney Carlin, Kansas House Representative for the 66th district. Carlin works on the appropriations committee.
“We have been working to rebuild Kansas,” Carlin said. “We have had terrible, terrible cuts. We have cut about half a billion. Universities have been hit really badly — about 34 million over the years. Higher education will be a priority.”
Carlin said the legislature passed a bill that will allow people to vote at any polling place within the county that is convenient for them. She added it will be up to county elections officials to approve this within their county, not the state.
The legislature also passed a bill to allow industrial hemp to be grown in Kansas, Carlin said. She emphasized that it is an agricultural product that is regulated.
Also a member of the workforce advisory board, Carlin said Kansas is in desperate need of medical professionals in Kansas.
“Psychiatrists are the highest paid but all are needed,” Carlin said. “We are looking to hire social workers as well.”
The student senate also unanimously approved senate independent positions, committee chairs, college caucus leaders and the student body president’s cabinet.
Senate will reconvene 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25 in Wildcat Chamber.
