USG let students ‘Rest After Results’ in the Pepsi Leadership Center on Feb. 4 while Vice President Zachary Graves and Director of Government Affairs A’kyra Holley gave a presentation about Ohio senate bills.
“I think that we can see a lot of stuff happening at the national level about politics,” said Graves, a senior political science major and pre-law minor. “There are a lot of things going on right now especially, but it’s also important to pay attention to the stuff that’s happening in your community and in your state.”
The presentation covered SB 1, which is passing through the Senate and targets public Ohio universities. The bill’s main focus is to end Diversity, Equity and Inclusion courses and training. SB 104, named the “Protect All Students Act,” goes into effect on Feb. 25 and was also covered. The bill prevents all K-12 schools and Ohio colleges and universities from creating and maintaining multi-stall universal restrooms.
“It’s really important to educate people on the things going on, on things they naturally wouldn’t see on social media,” said Holley, a peace and conflict studies major with a pre-law minor. “If they saw it, maybe they wouldn’t get the best understanding of it.”
Regina Saucedo, a sophomore business management major, attended the event after going to USG’s informational meeting for election candidates earlier that day.
“It’s a real opportunity for [students], not only to get to know what’s going on in USG but also outside Kent State,” Saucedo said. “It’s a great way to network and meet new people that might be in a different major, different background.”
Isabella Buell, a freshman in aeronautical studies, had also decided to stay after attending the informational meeting.
“I liked meeting more members of USG, considering I’m a freshman,” Buell said. “I don’t really have much knowledge when it comes to undergraduate student government, and so it was good to have this opportunity to be able to branch out and see some new faces.”
USG plans to take an advocacy trip to the Ohio Statehouse and present student testimonies. Graves said they have tentatively scheduled the trip for Feb. 26 due to the possibility that a vote might take place beforehand.
USG does not have any future similar events scheduled for students, but Holley said they would create more if needed as more bills are proposed.
“I think that there are a good amount of students [politically engaged] and I feel like they definitely share their information with their friends,” Holley said. “That helps to keep the ball moving, but I think that we definitely could get the numbers up because whether or not you participate with the system, you are in the system.”
Aryn Kauble is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
