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THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016 | VOLUME 130 ISSUE 13
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
Alex Robinson/KANSAN
Sueelah Jones and Kat Rainey speak on the amendment funding the Multicultural Student Government
Conference Committee.
Multicultural Student Government approved
► LARA KORTE
@lara_korte
Cheers, laughter, and shouts of joy echoed off the walls of an almost-empty lobby in the Kansas Union Wednesday night after the Senate Finance Committee passed an amendment to fund a Multicultural Student Government.
About 25 students stood at the front of Alderson Auditorium for an hour Wednesday night with Kat Rainey and Jameelah Jones, both active social justice advocates, as they pitched the idea for a separate governing body that would focus on the needs and voices of marginalized students. The amendment ultimately passed and will move on to Full Senate next Wednesday.
Jones said the main purpose of the group is to provide a focused effort on the needs of marginalized students.
"This is about centering students that are traditionally never thought of in these spaces, that don't get to speak and don't get to advocate for themselves,"
Jones said.
The group asked for a $2 increase to the student fee for the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Rainey said the new Multicultural Student Government and current Student Senate would act as two separate entities but come together to talk about various issues like fee review, fund allocation and changes to the Student Code of Conduct.
Although many senators gave positive speeches in support of the establishment of a Multicultural Student Government, not all were so quick to cast their affirmative vote. Student Body Vice President Zach George spent time questioning the group on who would be involved, what preparations had been made and what the money would be used for if allocated.
Members of the group were quick to address George's statements. Tyler Childress, normally chairman of the Finance Committee, expressed concerns that no other student group is ever interrogated so thoroughly on how money will be used. Jones argued George's reluctance in af-
arming the funding was due to his lack of faith in its ability to provide for marginalized students on campus.
"You're questioning our ability to do something with this money," Jones said.
Jyleesa Hampton, a graduate student studying communications, said she thinks a Multicultural Student Government will be able to understand the needs of minority students in a way that the current Student Senate cannot.
"People have told us what those problems are, we are aware of what those problems are, and we have, I think a better mechanism to fix it." Hampton said.
Hampton also said she believes those who are on the Multicultural Student Government can act just as, if not more, efficiently in meeting marginalized student needs than the current Senate.
"There was a lot of interrogation we were getting about our capacity to act and capacity to act in a comparatively efficient or advantageous way, and that was frustrating because
Members of the Student Senate Finance Committee voted to approve an amended version of the student fee allocations bill, sending the bill to Full Senate next week for approval.
Finance Committee adjusts fee allocations
Full Senate voted against the first draft of the bill last week by a count of 8-41-3. The first draft recommended an increase to the overall student fee when an opportunity to lower the fee was available.
▶ CONNER MITCHELL @ConnerMitchell0
One of the most debated issues of the evening centered around a $1 increase to the University Daily Kansan fee which was proposed and passed as an amendment in a Finance Committee meeting on Feb. 17. The increase would have doubled the campus fee paid to the Kansan from $1 to $2, restoring the fee the Kansan previously received in the 2014-15 fiscal year.
After multiple positive and negative speeches at Finance Committee, the
University Daily Kansan fee was amended back to the $1 amount recommended by the Campus Fee Review Subcommittee by a vote of 8-5-1.
Graduate Senator Brittany Oleniacz gave a speech in favor of the amendment lowering the Kansan fee, saying while she supports the Kansan, Senate cannot make a decision based on what students wave during basketball games.
"What we need to keep in mind is that increasing the fee package by $0.60 is completely not right. We should be equaling out with last year's fees or decreasing the fees. Any increase in the entire package is not setting a great image to our student body," she said. "I am cautious with the $2 increase and would prefer to go with what the Fee Review Committee decided."
Junior Sophia Templin, Journalism Senator, gave a speech in opposition of the amendment.
"There are so many great things that the UDK brings to you, and I think
there's a lot of issue I have with the fact that we're not going to fund them based on that we don't want to fund an adviser when they have the opportunity to do whatever they want with the money that we give them," she said.
Other amendments to the bill included a $0.25 increase to the Campus Renewable Energy and Sustainability Fee, raising the fee to $0.75, as well as a $2 increase to the already amended Office of Multicultural Affairs fee, raising it to $7.10. The Student Senate Activity Fee was reduced $1.85, lowering the fee to $14.15. As the bill stands, student fees would decrease from $455.50 to $454.90.
The bill will be seen by the Full Senate next week as amended, and requires a two-thirds majority vote to move on for final approval from Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little.
- Edited by Michael Portman
Despite the "interrogation" during the meeting, Rainey said she felt supported by members of Senate and believes there's a bright future for cooperation between current senators and future Multicultural senators.
they haven't put in the time to sort of talk to students, students who are underrepresented, to see what is broken. We sort of know where the system has failed, and that's partially in not centering underrepresented students from the get-go," Hampton said.
"We have some allies in the Senate and that means a lot, and I think that speaks to how well we can work together in the future," Rainey said.
Conversations about minority representation have been heated over the past few months, especially following the Nov. 11 Town Hall Meeting. Jones said after tonight, she no longer feels like the only one fighting for social justice.
"It encourages me because if nothing else, people are learning and people are seeing that this is important," Jones said. "It's not just us who want to change, it's not just us that sees that something needs to change, and it's always encouraging to know that you're not in it alone, that people do work at different levels, but you're not the only one fighting."
The amendment must pass Full Senate next week for funding to be fully approved. Although nothing is certain yet, Rainey said she is hopeful for the future of marginalized students on campus.
"I think the future is very bright for underrepresented communities and persons on this campus, because they will have an organization that thinks about them first and foremost," Rainey said. "It's very exciting."
- Edited by Brendan Dzwierzynski
Ted Cruz holds rally at Johnson County Community College
MIRANDA DAVIS @MirandaDavis
Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz spoke in Overland Park on Wednesday where he discussed his Super Tuesday wins and attacked Donald Trump.
Cruz, who won Texas, Alaska and Oklahoma on Super Tuesday, has said during his campaign that he is the Republican Party's best chance to beat Donald Trump. He reiterated that idea on Wednesday night at Johnson County Community College. Cruz also discussed at a meeting with donors where he said if he had lost his home state of Texas, he would have dropped out of the race.
During his speech, the senator focused on illegal immigration and Supreme Court nominations.
"Last night made it clear that there is only one campaign that has consistently, over and over, beaten Donald-Trump," Cruz said.
Cruz's speech focused on his core policies, specifically the economy and religious freedom.
"Let me be very clear to the men and women of Kansas. I will not compromise our religious liberty and I will not compromise away our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms," Cruz said.
Cruz drew a crowd of around 1,300 to the rally, which fell three days before Saturday's Kansas caucus. He said he welcomes any Kansas voters who have been supporting other Republican candidates and said his is the only campaign that's in a position to beat Donald Trump for the nomination, and then Hillary Clinton in the general election.
"If Donald is the nominee, it's likely Hillary becomes the president," Cruz said.
Cruz discussed the Supreme Court vacancy and vowed that if he were elected he would only appoint a
Cruz also talked jobs and directed several of his comments to young voters, who he said are graduating college right now and "up to their eveballs in debt."
principled constitutionalist to the court.
He said in move regulations to allow for more small business success with the hope that young people can graduate from college with multiple job offers.
He said he hopes to reworked for Cruz's campaign in Iowa, made a last-minute decision to drive two hours to come to the rally. Kuder said he has been with Cruz since the beginning and agrees with many of the senator's ideas.
Attendees varied in age and hometown, with many hailing from the Kansas City, Kan. area.
Kerrick Kuder, a junior at Kansas State University who
"I'm a huge supporter
Jan Medley, a Topeka resident also said she agrees with Cruz's ideas on the flat tax and the removal of the IRS.
of his flat taid and his gun rights policies." Kuder said.
"When we learned about the rally we said, 'Crazy
busy week, but let's go to Kansas City.' He is well worth supporting," Medley said.
- Edited by Michael Portman
Christian Beach, WA9644
Christian Hardy/KANSAN
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz spoke March 2 at Johnson County Community College about his tax plan and how he would help college graduates with their debt.
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