Naganathan visits first Student Government meeting of year

Student Government kicked off its first meeting of the school year on Sept. 9 with its first senate meeting.

SG President Clayton Notestine gave a “State of UTSG” report and reminded the attendees of the state of UT’s administration, with a new interim president and provost, director of the recreation center, director of food service and also about the presidential search.

Notestine also reviewed the recent campus safety dinner, and said SG did not end its involvement in sexual assault awareness issues at that dinner. He said the problem was not just a women’s or men’s issue, but a “Rockets issue” that affects everyone at UT.

Notestine said he met with the director of the Carlson Library and a representative from the Provost’s Office to discuss library operating hours. He said there would be no change to the current schedule of closing all floors — even the first floor — at midnight, citing the fact that it takes several staffers to keep the library open. However, all floors of the library will be open 24 hours for two weeks around midterms and finals.

UT Interim President Nagi Naganathan also spoke at the meeting. He said his goal for enrollment is to “Get one, keep one,” that is, to both enroll incoming freshmen and retain more returning students.

“If every student gave one other person an application for UT, the power and connections we would create would be amazing,” he said.

Naganathan also spoke about the Title IX grievance recently filed against UT.

“As a campus, our goal … is having zero incidents,” he said. “Where it happens is really the culture. We all have to work together; we cannot be bystanders [and] look away.”

SG Vice President Ali Eltatawy spoke about the upcoming Rocket Fanatics week, which he said is a week of events on campus to increase spirit and fun on campus.

Eltatawy also said a “big push” SG wants is to increase involvement in student organizations.

Notestine opened the business portion of the meeting by introducing the “standing rules,” a set of policies about senator conduct at meetings in addition to the parliamentary rules of order. The senate votes to approve these rules every year. A formal discussion should occur next week, Notestine said.

Notestine then introduced the “SG Strategic Plan,” a formal declaration to the public of what the senate wants to do “to make Student Government better.” The plan lists several goals for SG across three areas of interest: outreach, future improvement within the senate itself, and “outpacing” other student governments at other schools across the country.

Notestine said the plan also included the goal to have a full body of 40 elected senators, the maximum number of seats in SG, for the 51st Session next academic year.

SG concluded the business portion of the meeting by passing a resolution to “establish a fifteen-minute time limit” for use of the piano in the Student Union Trimble Lounge between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Notestine said the resolution would make the Lounge a place more conducive to studying and socializing. He said the building managers and Ask Rocky representatives would probably be responsible for enforcing the policy.

When Senator Sam Duling asked if any music students had to use the piano for music classes, Eltatawy said students could utilize the piano studios in the Center for Performing Arts.

Senator Ben Lynn said students should be permitted to play as long as they want because the piano is in a public space.

“We don’t want to tell people they can’t play the piano,” he said. He motioned to change the resolution to a recommendation rather than a requirement, but did not receive a second.

The resolution passed by acclamation.