Graduate Student Senate meets to discuss the Center for Student Legal Services
Graduate Student Senate met with the head of Center for Student Legal Services to discuss the potential rise in legal waiver fees.
[dropcap txtcolor="#234a83" style="dropcap1"]G[/dropcap]raduate Student Senate met Tuesday to discuss a variety of topics, including the Center for Student Legal Services, the Open OHIO program, and several bills.The Senate opened with a presentation from Patrick McGee from the Center for Student Legal Services (CSLS). McGee asked the senate for their endorsement to continue Ohio University’s relationship with his nonprofit, despite an increase in students opting out of the CSLS fee.McGee asked the body to increase the fee from $12 to $15 per semester. He justified the increase as it hasn't gone up since 2003.“We haven’t raised the fee in 15 years, so you know we’re not trying to scalp anybody,” McGee said.[AdSense-A]Sen. Brett Fredericksen also gave a presentation to the Senate about Open OHIO, a program where anyone could — respectfully, and in accordance with certain rules — discuss anything. Sexual assault and communication between students and Athens residents are frequent topics, Fredericksen said. “The point of Open OHIO is really this kind of nebulous idea of just having a space to discuss anything,” he said.Fredericksen wants the senate’s support to expand the program to other locations in Athens.Senate also proposed disseminating Google forms to grad students to form a database for graduate student housing, comparative to Zillow. The body also passed a resolution to allocate up to $200 for a spot in the homecoming parade, down $500 from the original proposal.Also passed was a resolution to allocate up to $560.43 of the senate's own money for a trip to the conference to the National Association for Graduate-Professional Students.
