For the 11th time, The University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP’s) 104th Senate of the Student Government Association (SGA) met to vote on appropriations for campus organizations, and legislative initiatives to empower student representation.

A majority of senate meetings begin with votes on appropriations, or money awarded by SGA to organizations and departments at UTEP. These funds are typically used to help individuals or groups travel to conferences and competitions in relation to their organization or curriculum.

On Thursday, Oct. 16, the Senate voted to award nearly $6,000 to aid five entities in travel costs. SGA’s largest appropriation was a grand sum of $2,800 to aid in the travel costs of 14 students to the Texoma Regional Conference Auditions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, which takes place at Baylor University this year. 

Since the appropriation exceeded $2,000, the senate was forced to a roll call vote, which is the process of every senator claiming “yay” or “nay.”

Typically, SGA passes funds to subsidize trips for organizations. It’s a key function in the eyes of senator-at-large Alessandra Jimenez.

“I think the fact that we have the ability to support a student to present a project, or further their future is really important,” Jimenez said.

The passed appropriation is coupled with $880 being awarded to six total students to attend the Scientific Study of Sexuality conference in Philadelphia, $550 to seven total students to travel to the Texas Life Science Forum at Rice University, $450 for one student to partake in the Applications of Nanotechnology for optimal sustainability conference, and $405 to aid one Ph. D student’s trip to a Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization conference.

Every single appropriation presented was passed by the Senate. Only one appropriation was met with a vote in the negation. That was over the Texas Life Science Forum, as the seven students attending will not be presenting research at Rice, but rather, are using the trip to learn about major biotech pharmacies that will be showcasing their products.

To pass this money, SGA relies on their Vice President of Internal Affairs, Kayla Madrid, to control the chamber and start the voting process.

“Money is a factor in whether or not these students can go and professionally develop themselves throughout these conferences,” Madrid said. “Coming to student government to get that money really helps them get that final push.”

Once appropriations were voted upon, the Senate moved to vote on two resolutions, both of which passed. Those were:

• Support initiation and implementation of College Student Council for Organizations

• Support a UTEP and University of Pennsylvania pre-med admissions workshop

Supporting the implementation of a College Student Council for Organizations means that SGA will aid in forming one council for all student organizations at UTEP. They look to enhance and uplift student organization’s progression and regulate volunteering events.

The Senate is also working on a workshop that will be run by the University of Pennsylvania, as they will guide UTEP medical students on the admissions process to elite and ivy league medical schools.

After the pair of resolutions were passed, the Senate introduced four special projects onto the floor.

By rule, none of these projects qualify for a vote because it was their 1st time being read to the legislature. To be voted upon, special projects must have at least two readings.

The special projects introduced by the senate go as follow:

• Support a UTEP and Harvard University Law School admissions workshop

• Subsidize non-perishable items for Pete’s Plate

• The Communication Bridge Project with the Center for Accommodations and Support Services (CASS)

• Support a legal pathway career fair

A partnership with Harvard University Law School would result in Harvard holding a virtual workshop with UTEP law students on the admissions process for Harvard’s Law School exclusively. This workshop occurred on Oct. 29 from 12:00-12:45 p.m. in the Thomas Rivera Conference room, with a maximum occupancy of 150 students. 

The Senate also debated subsidizing $628.02 to Pete’s Plate through non-perishable items such as trash cans, tablecloths and utensils. Their discussion ended on the matter of whether the senate should include paper plates or food boxes on their list. They will pick up the discussion in their following meeting.

President Ryan Boatright sponsored The Communication Bridge Project, which looks to remove language barriers for international students whose primary language isn’t English. This project will be in collaboration with CASSwhich, according to the senators, holds the framework to assist in accessibility and communication equity initiatives.

SGA then discussed supporting a legal pathway career fair, aimed to support students in pre-law seeking internships, jobs at law firms, or simple networking opportunities. The Senate is looking to implement this special project next spring.

“I honestly think all of them have the potential to make an impact,” Madrid said in discussing the session’s matters. “You never know who can make a difference in the world.”

As SGA continues to represent the student body, the door remains open for organizations and entities on campus to garner legislative support for their own special projects, while anticipating the effects of the senate’s new ideas.

Sebastian Perez-Navarro is the multimedia editor for The Prospector and can be reached at [email protected] or Instagram and X @sebastianpn8, and on LinkedIn @sebastianperez-navarro.