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Fellow Undergraduates,
Often, the USG must pass legislation in the form of resolutions in order to show formal support for a policy or commit to a course of action. Although the USG's practice is to inform the Student Assembly of passed resolutions in a timely manner, it is in the best interest of students that the circumstances and consequences of certain legislative items are discussed in a way more thoroughly than is permitted by social media and email. Therefore, the USG will endeavor to maintain a blog to provide detailed updates on major events, when appropriate.
Last semester, the USG was hard at work doing the business of MTU’s student body. In spite of COVID-19 and its associated challenges, our legislative output for the Spring 2021 Semester was the highest in years! Some items that merit your special consideration are:
The USG moved to open voting on our revised constitution. I strongly encourage you to view the changes and vote on the web page linked HERE. The changes being proposed are for the benefit of the students and Registered Student Organizations we serve.
USG RESOLUTION NO. 2020-2021 #003: A Resolution in Support of the Proposed Experience Tech Fee Increase. Due the increasing cost of operating MTU's vendors, such as Mont Ripley, MTU Hockey, the Rosza Center, and the Tech Trails, funded by the Experience Tech Fee, the USG passed a resolution in support of the Experience Tech Fee Committee's (implemented) recommendation to increase the Experience Tech Fee by 3.25% for the 2022 (current) Fiscal Year. The resolution also recommended subsequent increases at the same rate as tuition.
USG RESOLUTION NO. 2020-2021 #004: A Resolution on Final Course Grades During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In recognition of the continued hardships students faced educationally and personally due the the COVID-19 Pandemic, the USG passed a resolution recommending that the University Senate implement Pass/Fail for the Spring 2021 Semester. When the University Senate declined to do this, the USG undertook a robust campaign of advocacy that ended with the USG delivering over 600 valid signatures from students to the University Senate in favor of Pass/Fail. Unfortunately, the University Senate did not implement Pass/Fail for the Spring 2021 Semester, but this disagreement has lead to the USG prioritizing a plan to build a sustainable relationship with the University Senate.
USG RESOLUTION NO. 2020-2021 #005: A Message and Resolution on Mandatory Attendance and the Scheduling of Exams during the Winter Carnival recess. To the Office of the Provost and Michigan Technological University. Following reports that some instructors had mandated attendance or scheduled exams during the Winter Carnival Recess contrary to Senate Policy 3.2.10 and 3.2.7.3, the USG passed a resolution requesting enforcement of the relevant policies by the Provost's Office. This resulted in communications by the Provost to academic leadership reminding them that it is against university policy to mandate class attendance or schedule exams during the Winter Carnival Recess. A follow-up on this is planned prior to the 2022 Winter Carnival.
USG RESOLUTION NO. 2020-2021 #007: A Resolution on the Michigan State Senate’s Rejection of Gubernatorial Appointees to the Michigan Technological University and Northern Michigan University Boards of Trustees. As a response to the Michigan State Senate's rejection of the gubernatorial appointments of Andrea Dickson and Jason Morgan to the MTU and NMU Boards of Trustees, respectively, the USG passed a resolution calling on the Michigan State Senate to reconsider these rejections based only on the individual merits of the appointees in question. Later, both were re-appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Michigan State Senate, and now sit on the NMU and MTU Boards of Trustees.
This is not an exhaustive list of USG's legislation in the Spring 2021 Semester and does not include routine business. To inquire about a specific action please email usg@mtu.edu. For documentation of all of the USG's official actions, please view our public minutes.
Yours,
Zack Olson
President of the Undergraduate Student Government
