A stacked agenda complete with a hot-button issue complemented a full house in the Student Senate chambers Tuesday night.
The Senate’s first Bring a Constituent to Senate Day left many without a seat at the meeting.
But the constituent overflow included those who were advocating for a resolution in support of tuition equity for undocumented students.
In Florida, undocumented students pay out-of-state tuition, which costs about four times as much as in-state tuition.
Although resolutions do not change legislation, it will be sent to state leaders, expressing the Senate’s support of a law granting undocumented students the right to in-state tuition.
The resolution, authored by Students for a Democratic Society lead organizer Conor Munro, Gators for Tuition Equity founder Liana Guerra and Sen. Joselin Padron-Rasines, was sponsored by Senate President Cory Yeffet.
“We think students who worked hard in high school and earned their spot in The Gator Nation shouldn’t be kept from doing this,” Munro said.
Representatives from Hispanic Student Association, Black Student Union and Asian American Student Union among 15 other organizations also spoke at the podium in support of the resolution.
Some senators believed the chambers were not an appropriate venue for the bill.
“We cannot speak for every student at the university,” said Sen. Michael Christ. “This is an issue with a diversity of opinion.”
After a majority vote, the resolution passed. Padron-Rasines and Liana Guerra hugged in triumph.
Padron-Rasines thanked those who supported the resolution.
“We are going to rally this in Tallahassee in the Spring,” she said. “And I know that students will be appreciative of your support with this.”
A version of this story ran on page 5 on 11/13/2013 under the headline "Student Senate supports tuition equity"
This story has been updated to reflect a correction.
Black Student Union President Dekendrick Murray speaks in support of tuition equity Tuesday evening.
