Surrounded by moths and butterflies, Student Government senators passed a bill allocating $60,000 for an upcoming bug exhibit at Tuesday's meeting, held in the Florida Museum of Natural History.
This was the second reading of the bill, which passed unanimously at the meeting after Douglas Noble, assistant director for exhibits and public programs at the museum, spoke about the exhibit's importance.
The exhibit is expected to receive at least 41,000 students during its eight-month run, and the $60,000 funding would allow free admission for all UF students, Noble said.
"These things are costly enterprises, and if we don't have your help, we no longer have any money in the budget that would help support these exhibits," Noble said, noting recent budget cuts. "It's not a happy situation, but we're proud of this museum."
Accent chairman Jason Atterman spoke on behalf of a bill aimed at eliminating up-close seating at upcoming events. Past speakers, such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian and former attorney general Alberto Gonzales, were met with protests from students, and a buffer is needed between speakers and the audience, Atterman said.
"This action is completely necessary because of the high-profile people we bring in," he said. "It's a huge security risk if any of these people were allowed in close vicinity of a speaker, because who knows what can happen?"
Sen. Alden Gillespy motioned to postpone the bill indefinitely, and his motion was approved by unanimous consent.
A Sunshine in the Swamp bill advocating more transparency within SG was also postponed until next week.
IMAGE director Ankhur Lakhani attended Tuesday's meeting to speak about lost footage of past senate meetings, describing the incident as a "simple software malfunction."
The new computer lab might allow Lakhani to access old computers, updating them and using them for IMAGE. Any replaced computers will be given to SG, Sen. Josh Roberts said.
"If we buy new software, it's going to work wonders," Lakhani said.
A drunk-driving prevention program initiated by Student Body President Jordan Johnson is moving forward, Press Secretary Eric Conrad said. The program allows people who have been drinking to call for a scooter. A person with a scooter would drive to the location, put the scooter in the trunk of the client's car and drive the client home, Conrad said.
Johnson is also continuing to work on his seatbelt campaign.
"This issue has taken a whole new light for me since I survived a car crash two weeks ago," Conrad said. "Wear your seatbelts, please."
In an effort to welcome incoming freshmen and potential senators, Senate President Audrey Goldman is moving senate meetings to different campus locations for the remainder of the Summer B session. Venues include Pugh Hall, Hillel and St. Augustine Church.
"We're going to be road tripping for senate every week," Goldman said.
