The Student Senate overwhelmingly voted to pass the Mobile Computing Initiative resolution Wednesday night.
The resolution calls for the University to research a Mobile Computing Initiative in order to possibly enact a program which will require incoming students to have “mobile computing devices” by the 2005-2006 academic year.
Senate Speaker Michael Busada said the Mobile Computing Initiative can be done at the University, and it has been beneficial at other schools.
Busada said the Senate will not know if the program will be as beneficial as they would like it to be for the University until the resolution is passed and the necessary research is conducted.
He asked the Senate to pass the resolution so the University could begin to do the research.
According to a Senate press release, passing the resolution is “only authorizing further research on enactment.”
The press release said the resolution will call for committees to examine and refine a plan to bring about a Mobile Computing Initiative.
The committee will consist of students, administrators and faculty members.
The vote also coincides with Speaker Busada and Sen. Jeremy Griggs presenting a revised copy of the resolution to the Senate.
The revised resolution states if it is passed the Senate “will request that the University continue to research the initiative with hope of enacting it by the 2005-2006 academic year.”
Also, Jessica Wainwright, speaker pro-tempore, removed her name as co-author of the resolution Wednesday night, because she felt that she did not know enough about it to be a co-author.
But Wainwright said she does support the Mobile Computing Initiative.
She said she originally was a co-author of the resolution because she supported it in the Senate.
She spoke before the Senate, stressing she is not against the Mobile Computing Initiative.
“What I was trying to stress [Wednesday night], is that I am not against the idea,” Wainwright said. “I think this program is a step toward making the University better. I think it’s a good thing for students.”
She said she thinks it is good for students to get comfortable with computers because they likely will use them in the real world.
During the last couple of days, there has been a lot of discussion on campus and people have been asking questions about the resolution, she said. She realized before the Senate meeting that she probably did not know enough about the plan to be a co-author.
When she went to the Senate meeting she found out about additional research information that she was previously unaware of, Wainwright said.
She said she did not have access to the Work Progressive Document, which contains notes from the University of North Carolina trip.
Busada said the document could not be released without permission from the committee members who wrote it.
She said the document made her realize that she did not have access to it, and she reversed her role and wanted to ask questions.
“I wanted to become more of an active participant in questioning and demanding research and answers to the questions,” Wainwright said.
It was easier for her to ask questions as a senator and student than as a co-author, she said.
Her role was really not to provide the facts and the answers, but to say “hey, this is a good idea; let’s move forward.”
Students who are interested in being on the committees should e-mail the Student Senate at [email protected].
Mobile Computing Initiative passed
February 13, 2004