Student Senate passes bill supporting Collin’s Law, makes new appointments

Student Senate. Photo by Tim Zelina.

Ohio University Student Senate passed a bill Wednesday night that declared the body’s support for Collin’s Law. 

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Molly Davis and Treasurer Eliza Ivan, and it declares Student Senate’s support for Ohio Senate Bill 126, “Collin’s Law,” which has been introduced in the state legislature. 

Collin’s Law, if passed, would classify hazing as a felony in the state of Ohio. Hazing is currently classified as a fourth degree misdemeanor. 

The Ohio Senate bill, named after Collin Wiant, the Ohio U student who died after an incident of hazing at his fraternity, comes after another fraternity hazing incident in the state of Ohio. Stone Foltz, a student at Bowling Green State University, died after an alleged hazing incident that occurred March 5. 

The Student Senate bill names these two incidents and states that universities across the state have shared letter campaigns with their students to send to local senators to express support for Collin’s Law. 

Ivan expressed her strong support for the bill, telling the Senate that Wiant and Foltz “deserved better” and that she believes a fourth degree misdemeanor does not do justice for any student who dies at the hands of their organization's brothers or sisters.  

“As it currently stands, hazing is fourth degree misdemeanor. That’s the same as getting two traffic violations within a year,” Ivan said. “And I hope you can see that a person being put in a situation that can result in death should never be the legal equivalent of getting caught speeding twice within twelve months.”

A copy of the Student Senate bill will be sent to a long list of state senators, as well as all Ohio U.S. House Representatives, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio U President Duane Nellis. 

Student Senate also appointed a new senator and two new delegates Wednesday night. 

Emily Walsh was appointed to be the new Senator for Athletics. Austin Nutter and Cheosung O’Brien were both appointed to be new delegates for the Senate Appropriations Committee. All three were approved without any opposition. 

Toward the end of the general meeting, Chief of Staff Elaina Tartal used her time during individual staff reports to express Student Senate’s support for Asian and Asian-American students in the wake of the shootings that occurred in Atlanta Tuesday evening. 

“In a time where all of us should be more united than anything, it’s disheartening to hear that there is still so much hate in the world,” Tartal said. “I just wanted to take a second and say that we stand with all of our students, and we will have Director of PR (Emily) Ertle and myself putting out some helpful things, helpful resources for all students if they’re feeling any of these kinds of discriminatory acts against them.”