The ASM Student Council met Wednesday to discuss recent campus events and hear from University Health Services.
In an open forum, ASM representatives expressed their disapproval of right-wing and anti-trans political commentator Matt Walsh, who recently spoke on campus. ASM discussed how students felt betrayed by the committee for providing the funding for Walsh’s presence on campus. Rep. Emmett Lockwood said the committee has work to do to build back the trust of transgender students.
Chair of Legislative Affairs MGR Govindarajan mentioned legislation that would work to prevent similar events from happening on campus in the future, but did not feel as though the legislation was quality enough to present to the committee.
Rep. Steven Shi said the council needs to work to avoid similar situations in the future.
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Following the discussion about the Walsh event, ASM invited representatives from UHS to present their ‘Color of Drinking’ survey to the committee. UHS Alcohol and Health Data Analyst Reonda Washington explained that her survey highlights the dependency that student sense of belonging at UW has on the use of alcohol.
Washington is able to do this by looking at responses from students of color, who reported significantly lower levels of alcohol use than their white peers with 14.6% of students of color identifying as abstinent compared to only 7.9% of white students.
Students of color feel as though they don’t belong on campus if they don’t drink, Washington said. These groups often reported avoiding fraternity and sorority houses, Langdon street, State Street and bars due to alcohol use.
Washington said ASM should vote in favor of a Color of Drinking Survey Taskforce that would oversee future iterations of the survey. ASM passed the task force legislation unanimously.
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Finally, ASM addressed their $1.3 million 2023-2024 budget proposal. No representatives had any pressing concerns and Chair Ndemazea Fonkem said the budget would be voted on in the next meeting, which will be held Wednesday, Nov. 9.
