(The Beacon)
By Kathryn Walters, Staff Writer walters14@up.edu
After weeks of debate and consideration, the ASUP Senate took a stand against discrimination and exclusion at UP when it passed Resolutions 13-06 and 13-10 Monday.
Resolution 13-06 recommends adding sexual orientation and gender identity to UP's Nondiscrimination Policy, and Resolution 13-10 recommends creating an Office of Inclusion, where a group of trained faculty and staff would be a resource for minority students who feel discriminated against or excluded. Resolution 13-06 passed with a 21 - 8 vote, and Resolution 13-10 passed unanimously.
The resolutions are in response to the campus-wide debate about the Nondiscrimination Policy, which does not include sexual orientation or gender identity. A student-run movement called Redefine Purple Pride seeks to compel the administration to include sexual orientation and gender identity in the Nondiscrimination Policy.
ASUP proceeded with a vote on Resolution 13-06 even though its original plan to hear advice from a University administrator about the legal ramifications of changing the Nondiscrimination Policy did not happen. Instead, the administration suggested a separate Ad Hoc Presidential Advisory Committee on Inclusion meeting to hear senators' concerns, but ASUP did not find that proposal adequate and declined.
"If this is the only way we can get answers, then this is the only way that we need to do it," Senator and ASUP President-elect Quin Chadwick said at Monday's meeting. "It's time to represent the students, and students have come out in droves to support this and want to see an answer."
Senator and Vice President-elect Elvia Gaona, who wrote Resolution 13-06, is pleased the resolution passed but expressed concern about opposition votes on the issue of the Nondiscrimination Policy.
"After hearing the administration's denial to come speak to us, I was really surprised with the 21 and eight," she said. "I thought that a lot more students would be like 'We've done everything we could, now let's take it to the next step,' and it's kind of upsetting that there were those eight senators who said no."
Senator Taylor Spooner voted no on the resolution because ASUP chose not to compromise with the administration and declined to work with the Ad Hoc Presidential Advisory Committee on Inclusion.
"I want their voices to be heard, but I want it in the right way," Spooner said at the meeting. "If we can focus on making this the best it is, working with the Ad Hoc committee, we can get the yes and we can make sure that everyone is treated equally here."
However, Senator Derek Block, sponsor of Resolution 13-10, feels encouraged by the unanimous vote on his resolution regarding the creation of an Office of Inclusion.
"I think it's a great resolution, and when it goes to Beauchamp and if he approves it, then I think it will be able to help a lot of people," he said. "It's something that I think we need on campus."
Senior and Redefine Purple Pride member Janie Oliphant applauds ASUP's advocacy of nondiscrimination and inclusion.
"This reinforces that the student body wants to see things change and that they want to be involved in the process," she said. "This is not just one group who wants change. It's the vast majority of students, and that's reflected in their decision to pass the resolution."
ASUP President Brock Vasconcellos will present the resolutions to Beauchamp in the next few weeks. Beauchamp can either approve or deny them. For Resolution 13-06, Beauchamp must consult the University Board of Regents, who have control over University statutes.
If Beauchamp denies either of these resolutions, both Gaona and Block said they will work on their resolutions further to get them approved.
"The next step would be to figure out where is that middle ground, and find what he wants and what we want," Block said. "And find something that will work for both of us."
