CJ Day – Staff Writer
The Associated Students of the University of Wyoming (ASUW) will attempt to curb food insecurity on campus through a new piece of legislation that passed Tuesday.
The resolution, Senate Resolution #2670, passed unanimously and was the first major piece of legislation passed during the 2019-2020 senate session.
“It’s a good bill, and it’s a good start for this year,” said Hank Hoversland, ASUW’s Chief of Legislative Affairs who helped to write the bill. “This is an issue that affects a lot of UW students, and it’s good that we’re getting off on the right foot.”
According to the resolution, 37 percent of undergraduate students at UW experience food insecurity from time to time. While there are resources available for students to acquire food, such as Interfaith and Feeding Laramie Valley, the University of Wyoming lags behind other colleges in the area in providing food security services.
Anna Savage, ASUW Director of Student Wellness and Sustainability, wrote and spearheaded the bill’s passage.
Savage said she intended the resolution to incite action on this issue from upper levels of administration and the Board of Trustees.
The resolution suggests the creation of a task force dedicated to finding solutions to food insecurity. The task force will look at policies and programs implemented at other colleges across the country, such as swipe sharing at dining services and a centralized food pantry on campus.
“The task force has been met with interest and support from several groups, students or otherwise, across campus,” said Savage. “Whether or not the mentioned solutions are pursued by upper administration and the Board is the big question, and I’m hoping this resolution shows that there is support for this project.”
Senators praised the bill for addressing a serious and underreported issue at the university. Though the legislation makes no real policy changes, Savage said she hopes the resolution will send a message to campus.
“Composing the task force with members from every level of the university, from student to upper administration, means that every voice can be heard,” said Savage. “We can all work to achieve food security for everybody on campus, no matter their background.”
In other ASUW business, the senate discussed a bill that seeks to change the rules surrounding who can speak during official meetings and when. Under current ASUW rules, members of the executive branch who author a bill are disallowed from speaking on that bill unless specific rules are followed. For example, Savage was not allowed to speak on her own resolution that passed this week. This new legislation seeks to relax these rules, as part of a general push from ASUW to get more input from people outside ASUW.
“In general, we want to hear more from constituents, we want to make it easier to participate in the legislative process, and this bill’s part of that effort.” said Hoversland.
The bill received its first reading during Tuesday’s session, and it will go up for a vote during next week’s meeting.
