ASWSU senators unanimously passed a resolution in support of an unamended DREAM Act at their weekly meeting.

One of the authors, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Pharmacy Sen. Itzel Trejo, said the DREAM Act is important for many WSU students.

“It’s a pathway to citizenship,” Trejo said. Several Crimson Group members testified in favor of the resolution as well.

Uncertified Sen. Jerry Martinez said they have been in support of this act for a while. The Senate passed a separate resolution shortly after the termination of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, in early September.

“Ever since the government talked about rescinding DACA, we’ve thought about supporting this,” Martinez said.

ASVMP Sen. Omar Zaragoza said the resolution is time sensitive because Congress will be voting on it in coming weeks. He said he hopes the resolution will pressure legislators to vote in favor of DREAMers.

“There are going to be undocumented youth all over the country that are vulnerable to deportation,” he said.

The resolution will be sent to WSU officials, all Washington legislators and all U.S. Congress members representing Washington.
ASWSU senators also approved a referendum that would give the Honors College a voting seat in the Senate.

The college is currently represented on the Senate by a delegate who does not have a vote.

Honors Delegate Hayden Arend said he authored the referendum to give honors students representation in the Senate.

“The Honors College is the last academic college to not be represented by a formal vote,” he said. “So we were looking to change that.”

ASVMP Sen. Devon Holze said students in the Honors College are already represented in the Senate, because about half of ASWSU members are in the college.
“It’s clear, just by the numbers in this room, that people from the Honors College are represented through people who are in other colleges on a pretty broad level,” she said.

All Campus Sen. Savannah Rogers said double representation should not be a problem, since many students are already represented twice, such as those who are double majors. She said the Senate should strive for as much representation as possible.

“Having a voice on the Senate is one thing,” Rogers said, “but having a vote is another.”

In addition to putting the Student Media fee on the ballot, senators approved a referendum that would require an odd number of voting positions on the Senate. The current constitution requires an even number.

Arend said this referendum would reduce the probability of a tie vote.