SGA discusses meeting procedures and confirms several abortion bills

The Student Government Association (SGA) held its weekly meeting on Sept. 13 to confirm the class of 2026 student government members into the government committee and discuss the Abortion Access Resolution and several general body meeting bylaws.

Student Government Committee Confirmations

Vice President Kobi Kong confirmed different members of the 2026 student government to differnt SGA committees.  

• Freshman Senators Jeff Ding​, Stone Meng​, Oluwakemi Abiodun​ and Alisa Fedotova were confirmed to the Finance Committee.
• Senators Sean Li​, Amy Li​, Priya Dubey and Tyagi​ were confirmed to the Committee on Student Organizations.
• Senator Jeffrey Ding​ and Amy Li​ were confirmed to the Academic Affairs Committee.

Executive Branch Constitutional Amendment Act

Sophomore Class President Ryan Chou introduced an amendment to make the Chair of Programming an appointed position rather than an elected position in order to give the SGA President greater oversight and responsibility. 

• Sophomore Senator Dalhart Dobbs stated that it was a lot of power to give to one person to appoint and dismiss a single person without any vote. 
  • “I would suggest to amend the resolution to add some form of measure to include voting by the senate or the executive board,” he said.   
• The bill passed the first reading and will advance to a second read next week. 

Meetings Bylaw Amendment Act

• Chou introduced a bill to suspend the rules in the bylaws and rules bill if ever necessary
• A motion to vote was called and the amendment was passed.

Membership Privileges Bylaw Amendment Act

• Chou introduced an amendment that would allow non-members to speak during meetings at the discretion of the chair.
  • A motion to vote was called and the amendment was passed.

Financial Support for Abortion Travel Resolution 

Junior Class President Harvey McGuinness presented the second read on a resolution that would ensure student health insurance plans cover abortion and related travel costs.

• Senators amended the resolution to add that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to Vice Provost for Student Health & Well-Being Kevin Shollenberger and fixed the semantics of the resolution. 
• The resolution passed unanimously.

Abortion Access Resolution 

Sophomore Class Senator Jackson Morris presented his resolution “Abortion Access Resolution” in order to give senators the chance to make comments and final edits. 

• Chou motioned to change the title of Morris’ resolution from “Abortion Access Resolution” to “A Resolution Expressing Student Government Support for the Right to Elective Abortion Access”
• Morris argued, “The title change would not reflect all of the issues that the resolution reflects regarding abortion.”
• The final title on the bill was “A Resolution Expressing Student Government Support for the Right to Choose and the Liberty of Bodily Autonomy” 
• The resolution passed with freshman Senators Meng​, Fedotova​, Amy Li​, Sean Li​, Tyagi and Abiodun​ abstaining.