Student Government Senate tackled several problems on Wednesday night, spanning from the lack of commuter parking in some areas on campus to solving the issue of funding SG’s free scantron and bluebook program for students.
In response to SG’s Sept. 14 bill to create additional commuter spaces, Gary Graham, director of the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, met with Meredith Westbrook, senator for the College of Music and Dramatic Arts and author of the bill, to discuss the issue of commuter parking.
According to Westbrook, Graham said it would not be possible to dedicate the front half of the Hart Lot to commuters, but he would look into splitting the North Kirby Lot between residents and commuters in order to ease parking problems on the north side of campus.
“It’s a great compromise, and I’m very happy with the outcome,” Westbrook said. “Hopefully in the next couple of weeks, there will be more parking for commuters.”
In addition, an unexpected breakthrough on the issue of funding for SG’s supply of scantrons surprised De Andre Beadle, University Center for Freshmen Year senator, along with the rest of the Senate.
While Beadle, author of the bill to allocate $10,000 from the Senate’s Initiative Account to fund scantrons, presented his bill to the senate, Jason Tolliver, director of the Student Union and University Auxiliary Services, addressed the Senate and said funding for the program will no longer be the responsibility of the Senate this year.
Tolliver said 100 small scantrons will be delivered to the SG office in the Union, and a bulk supply of large scantrons, which were left over from the recently closed Paw Prints operation, will be dedicated to SG’s supply. He also said he will work with University business partners to fund the supply for the rest of the year.
In other action, senators passed legislation to urge the administration to recognize October as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month, with 77 percent in favor.  
“We do a lot to recognize our history and where we come from,” said Rachel O’Pry, senator for the Graduate School and co-author of the bill. “But for one out of every 10 students, their history can’t be found in the classrooms or on campus.”
O’Pry said she is happy with the resolution’s results, but she thinks all senators should have been in favor of the bill.
“We are supposed to be representing all students,” she said. “Several other schools have LGBT services, and our peer institutions far surpass us in LGBT resources and recognition.”
The University currently recognizes Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. O’Pry said the addition of LGBT History Month is necessary since the University has such a large LGBT community.
Karla Frias, senator for the College of Engineering, said she supports the bill.
“I think this is a great idea, and I believe in equality for all students,” Frias said.
SG also made strides in its resolution concerning technology in classrooms.
T. Gilmour Reeve, Academic Programs, Planning and Review vice provost, met with Ashley Hebert, senator Graduate School senator, on Wednesday in response to the Sept. 28 resolution to investigate the “no technology in the classroom” policy enforced by some professors.
“He agreed with my point of view and was glad data was available,” Hebert said. “A compromise needs to be made.”
 
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Contact Kate Mabry at [email protected]