Senate passes a resolution for a veteran’s center

All-Campus+ASWSU+Senator+Travis+Tran+speaks+during+an+ASWSU+meeting+in+CUB+204%2C+Wednesday+Sept.+18%2C+2013.

All-Campus ASWSU Senator Travis Tran speaks during an ASWSU meeting in CUB 204, Wednesday Sept. 18, 2013.

In a unanimous decision, the 43rd ASWSU Senate passed the first resolution of the year Wednesday, requesting a plan to establish a student veteran’s center for more than 800 military men and women at WSU.

All-Campus Sen. Travis Tran is one of seven senators who sponsored the bill.

“We recognize that change won’t happen overnight, but, at the very least, the student veterans should have a plan from the administration to offer and plan for a future place for them to be,” he said.

Tran, a veteran himself, explained that in coming years veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will grow the population at WSU, meaning an increased use of military benefits.

“Since 2011 to 2012, the numbers utilizing the GI Bill jumped 40 percent and that is only going to get bigger and bigger as time goes on,” he said.

Tran said as the veteran population increases, the need for WSU administration support has reached its peak.

“We cannot afford to lose the support of such an important group in our student body,” he said. “We’ve got to push for the success of every single student and push to make sure our diversity is as rich as can be.”

All-Campus Sen. Ryan Spencer, another sponsor of the resolution, said the passing of this bill exemplifies the success of the new senate.

“This being our first piece of legislation, it’s really exciting and it’s really representative that we’re off to a great start,” Spencer said.

He said his inspiration to take part in writing the resolution started with the words of two WSU veterans.

“ASWSU President of Student Veteran’s Committee Tobias Slaton and Sen. Travis Tran were the reasons why I wanted to have a hand in ensuring that this piece of legislation was as beneficial to the veteran’s community as possible,” he said.