Legacy and equity drive discussion at Student Senate

Equity and civil rights were the topic of discussion at Wednesday night’s Student Senate meeting, as well as the importance of getting out to vote and carrying on Ohio University’s legacy.The director of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance, as well as OU’s Title IX Coordinator Sara Trower, spoke to Senate about her office. The ECRC is focused on working to stop, prevent and remediate discrimination, as well as investigating complaints and making policy recommendations in the hopes of creating a discrimination- and harassment-free education and employment opportunity. She touched ECRC’s various policies, as well as how students can use their services.  She was asked if the center had been approached by anyone to work on the CATS initiative, which President McDavis created five weeks ago in response to racially-charged comments left on the graffiti wall.“Not that I’m aware of, no,” Trower replied. “We’d be happy to partner though.”Greg T. Moore, an OU and Student Senate alumnus, also spoke to the members gathered. He is executive director for the NAACP National Voter Fund Leadership, and came to convince students to go vote as well as to interact with alumni more.“Students have played a big role in the history of this university,” he said. “Look at the campus of Zanesville and Chillicothe, Lancaster, Marietta - all those are places where the outreach of the Student Senate and a student voice can be great.”One resolution was passed to fund a residence life event called “Puppies and Pastries.” Another resolution to fund a screening of Freedom Rides was tabled indefinitely due to the fact that it wanted to fund the purchase of a DVD instead of the screening rights.Student Senate meets weekly on Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. in Walter 235.