UCOSA funds Delta Delta Epsilon trip 

Mariah Vanzant

Contributing Writer

Delta Delta Epsilon received funding approval Oct. 23 at the University of Central Oklahoma Student Association meeting for event sponsorship. 

Senator Tabitha Gibson presented the legislation. Delta Delta Epsilon requested $5,700 for supplementary funds for their trip to Denver, Colorado, where they will present at the American Academy of Forensic Science Conference in February 2024. They originally requested $7,000, but the Ways and Means Committee reduced the funding to $5,700. Delta Delta Epsilon will cover the remaining $1,300. 

The funds cover transportation and housing. 

“There will be six people presenting with one faculty member with them,” Gibson said. “A good amount of people presenting will be grad students.” 

Gibson said that the students will be flying to the conference.  

There was no move for a debate. The legislation moved to a vote. There were 34 votes in favor of the legislation, five votes against the legislation, and five abstentions resulting in the legislation being passed. 

In other news, Senator Kama Wyatt presented legislation declaring UCOSA’s position on firearms on campus. This is stating that UCOSA’s official opinion for the academic year of 2023-24 remains the same as previous years. UCOSA is against any state law modification that would allow guns on campus outside of law enforcement and those authorized by President Todd Lamb. 

There were no questions and no move for a debate. There were 41 votes in favor of the legislation, no votes against it, and one abstention resulting in the legislation being passed. 

The executive cabinet presented its executive updates. UCOSA Vice-President Saveion Adams spoke about what he and UCOSA President Lauren Harman have been working on:  improving parking for students. 

A new initiative beginning  in January will allow students to pay off parking tickets with community service hours. 

“This is a trial run. We want to see how this might go,” Adams said. “We want to start off with 50 tickets getting paid off with community service hours next semester. If this is a success, then this is something we can implement in the future years to come.”

Adams said they are still working out the details. He said it will most likely be three hours of community service to pay off one ticket. It is limited to one ticket per person. 

“This is something I’m excited about. I hope this is something that everyone else is excited about,” said Adams. 

UCOSA meets every Monday at 4 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room on the fourth floor of the Nigh University Center.