2008 Woodie Awards
ASG endorses changes to student community relations committee
Dave Matthews
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Campus
In April 2007, Miami University students and Oxford residents were resolving the debate over a proposed city ordinance that would ban outdoor drinking games.
It was at that time Associated Student Government's (ASG) secretary for off-campus affairs Jen House and co-chair of the Student Community Relations Committee (SCRC) Carole Katz realized that after 11 years, the SCRC needed some revision.
Student senators agreed as they unanimously passed the Katz-House Act of 2008 Tuesday night with no debate.
The Act is a student endorsement for the changes Katz and House have made to the former committee, which looks to improve relations between students and Oxford residents.
City council will have to pass the amendments for the Katz-House Act to take effect.
Among the changes to the SCRC is its name, which would change to the Oxford Student Community Relations Commission (OCRC).
ASG's secretary for off-campus affairs-elect Thad Boggs said that the name change emphasizes the permanence of the commission, as opposed to a "committee," which is ad hoc in nature.
"The name of commission implies permanence," he said. "This will be a great venue to bring together stakeholders in the community."
House and Katz are also pushing for changing the number of members of the commission from 10 voting members to nine, with six non-voting members.
Finally, the Katz-House Act reads that the purpose of the committee should be changed.
"Rather than investigate, explore and discuss," the legislation reads, "the Committee should identify and explore any and all matters that it determines are related to student/community relations."
House was excited when the bill passed ASG unanimously.
"It's been (over) 10 years (since the committee was reviewed)" she said. "We've been talking about changes for a year … we're real excited to make the committee a commission, this group should have more power."
Oxford City Council has revised the committee twice since its inception in 1984.
It was at that time Associated Student Government's (ASG) secretary for off-campus affairs Jen House and co-chair of the Student Community Relations Committee (SCRC) Carole Katz realized that after 11 years, the SCRC needed some revision.
Student senators agreed as they unanimously passed the Katz-House Act of 2008 Tuesday night with no debate.
The Act is a student endorsement for the changes Katz and House have made to the former committee, which looks to improve relations between students and Oxford residents.
City council will have to pass the amendments for the Katz-House Act to take effect.
Among the changes to the SCRC is its name, which would change to the Oxford Student Community Relations Commission (OCRC).
ASG's secretary for off-campus affairs-elect Thad Boggs said that the name change emphasizes the permanence of the commission, as opposed to a "committee," which is ad hoc in nature.
"The name of commission implies permanence," he said. "This will be a great venue to bring together stakeholders in the community."
House and Katz are also pushing for changing the number of members of the commission from 10 voting members to nine, with six non-voting members.
Finally, the Katz-House Act reads that the purpose of the committee should be changed.
"Rather than investigate, explore and discuss," the legislation reads, "the Committee should identify and explore any and all matters that it determines are related to student/community relations."
House was excited when the bill passed ASG unanimously.
"It's been (over) 10 years (since the committee was reviewed)" she said. "We've been talking about changes for a year … we're real excited to make the committee a commission, this group should have more power."
Oxford City Council has revised the committee twice since its inception in 1984.
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