What happens now:
• At 3:15 p.m., SGA will vote on the resolution during its meeting in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center.
• At 4 p.m. Thursday in Burkhardt Building Room 109, SGA’s President Chloe Anagnos, Vice President Alyssa France and Pro Tempore Jack Hesser will take the resolution if it passes to the University Senate meeting.
• Before 6 p.m. Thursday, University Senate will vote on whether or not to make a recommendation against HJR-6.
• After the vote, the recommendation will go to the administration.
• If the Ball State administration makes a public statement against HJR-6, it will join Indiana University, DePauw University and Wabash College in taking a stand.
• Student Government Association votes today on a resolution to oppose an Indiana House resolution defining mariage as between one man and one woman.
• If it passes, three SGA members will act as student’s voice at University Senate Thursday.
• 596 people have taken a survey as part of push to gather student constituent’s voices.
Approximately 300 students sponsored a Student Government Association resolution to take a stance against House Joint Resolution 6.
If HJR-6 passes, it will define valid and recognized marriage as between one man and one woman in the state’s constitution. This will essentially bar legal structures like civil unions and threaten domestic partnership benefits.
During the SGA meeting this afternoon, they will vote on the resolution, which was introduced to the Student Senate during its meeting Wednesday.
SGA introduced this resolution at the encouragement of Terry King, Ball State provost.
“We must maintain an environment where students can reach their full potential in their academic pursuits, where faculty members can realize the goal of being excellent teachers and scholars and where everyone is respected and valued,” King said in a statement read to the Faculty Council on Oct. 31.
If SGA’s resolution is passed, it will be introduced during the University Senate meeting Thursday afternoon. According to the agenda for the meeting, University Senate will vote to recommend that Ball State opposes HJR-6.
The SGA president, vice president and pro tempore act as the student members of University Senate, so Chloe Anagnos’, Alyssa France’s and Jack Hesser’s votes on this issue will represent the view of the student body.
SGA senators were encouraged at the meeting last week to reach out to their constituents for opinions on the issue. The senators also circulated an informal survey, which Hesser said 596 people have taken.
Members of Call to Action were among the bill’s first student sponsors. Call to Action is an educational and awareness group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community political issues.
AJ Owens, Call to Action’s secretary, said it is important for the university to take a public stance and for SGA be involved.
Owens also said more people need to hear about HJR-6 and what is happening because there is a chance it could go to the ballot for a public vote in November 2014.
“Ball State is a major employer in the state of Indiana and we offer domestic partner benefits, and if we feel really strongly about this, it might change their minds,” he said.
“The more awareness we have about it, the better.”
Anagnos challenged senators to hear the voices of any students who are in favor of HJR-6.
Hesser said to his knowledge, no counter legislation has been written.
“That isn’t to say someone hasn’t, it just hasn’t been sent to the agenda committee yet,” he said. “I assume that individuals who are for [HJR-6] will voice their opinions during [SGA] Senate and reach out to a senator that represents them. All senators are expected to vote based on conversations with their constituents.”
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