The community service-based Student Senate Bill (SSB) 2024-1136
- Halle Burton
- May 16, 2024
- 3 min read
As a UF Senator and a co-chair of the Mental Health Ad-Hoc Committee, I was able to co-author and unanimously pass a Student Senate Bill, SSB 2024-1136, earlier this year. Feel free to read a copy of the bill down below:
STUDENT SENATE BILL 2024-1136
TITLE: Resolution Advocating to Mandate Student Government Officials to Meet a Community Service Quota each Semester
AUTHOR(S): Senator Halle Burton, Senator Aleah Henley
SPONSORS: Senator Julia Seifer, Senator Owen Lekebusch, Senator Gabe Vargas, Senator Catherine Isakson, Senator AJ Amster, Senator Kishan Nayak, Senator Laura Jane Bryan, Senator Gabriela Prieto, Senator Noor Azeem, Senator Caroline Kelley, Senator Samantha Kinggard, Senator Laurel Wentworth, Senator Abby Whitaker, Senator Annabella Vigna, Senator Evan Rafanan, Senator Nathaniel Thomas, Senator Coe Leavengood, Senator Marian Enriquez, Senator Monish Vijayaraghavan, Senator Christian Jubran, Senator Angelina Fentress
WHEREAS, the University of Florida is dedicated to educational fundamentals enriching the lives of bordering communities and educating student government officials through meaningful community service; and,
WHEREAS, the University of Florida has a strong history of tradition in community service and positive impacts on its surrounding community of Alachua schools students; and,
WHEREAS, Senate and Executive officials occupy positions with strong leadership and influence, thereby possessing the ability to set precedence toward students at the University of Florida in initiatives contributing to community service; and,
WHEREAS, implementing a sense of civic responsibility and engagement through community service is crucial to fostering a culture of service within the University of Florida’s community and Alachua County area; and,
WHEREAS, recognizing the importance of increasing learning experiences for elected student government officials and as representatives of the University of Florida student body; and,
WHEREAS, Alachua County, engulfing the UF campus, has over 25 Title-I elementary schools with over a 75% poverty rate each [2]; and student government officials are encouraged to do their part to help lower the socioeconomic education level gap by volunteering with organizations like Alachua County Public Schools; and,
WHEREAS, volunteering is scientifically and psychologically proven to provide mental health benefits [3]; and,
WHEREAS, student government officials performing community service strengthen the promotion of citywide mental health resources, which also improves student government officials’ personal mental health during times of psychological distress; and,
WHEREAS, International Volunteer Day will be celebrated on December 5th [1], so student government officials should be able to partake in the celebration by being active participants in community service at a local level; then,
THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate recognizes student government officials who are required to perform community service hours both represent the University as a whole, but can also improve their overall psychoneuroimmunological well-being and overall mental health.
THEREFORE, LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate recognizes student government officials should be mandated to uphold a high level of support for the UF community through a change in the constituency requirements, requiring two service hours a semester.
THEREFORE, LET IT FINALLY BE RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate recognizes how important community service hours are for furthering civic engagement and encourages all student government officials to complete at least two service hours a semester.
Proviso: A copy of this resolution shall be sent to University of Florida President Ben Sasse, Interim Provost J. Scott Angle, Student Body President Olivia Green, Vice President of Division of Student Life Heather White, Student Government Advisor Jackie Phillips, and Community Involvement Chair Vedant Garg.
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