On Monday, ETSU students participated in a rally on Burchuck Plaza to support DACA students on campus. On Tuesday, the Student Government Association passed legislation to strengthen that support.
The resolution, SSR-17-001, was drafted and presented by several members of the SGA and voted on during the Sept. 19 meeting. Prior to the vote to pass it, the legislation had been presented on Sept. 12 and reviewed by a committee of student senators.
“Since Dr.(Brian) Noland did say that within the legal boundaries we are supporting our students, I think this was just an additional step we took that the university already has to just make our students well-aware that we’re supporting [them,]” SGA Secretary/Treasurer Megha Gupta said.
The legislation states:
- The SGA supports undocumented students
- ETSU supports future undocumented and DACA students at ETSU
- ETSU promotes diversity
When the legislation was presented during the meeting, SGA President Keyana Miller encouraged the senate to discuss it before voting. Senate members cited Noland’s support of DACA students, student support, ETSU mission statement, campus diversity and the future of the campus as reasons for supporting the legislation.
Twenty-two of 30 senators were present for the vote, and all voted in favor of the legislation.
Gupta said the legislation was significant after being passed the day after the student rally for undocumented and DACA students.
“I went to the rally yesterday, and it was amazing to see so many students who were able to make it … come together and represent those who can’t be represented necessarily, due to law,” SGA Secretary/Treasurer Megha Gupta said. “We had five students who were personally affected by DACA give a speech. … There were about 40 students in the back holding signs that were in support.”
SGA President Keyana Miller, who drafted the legislation, said the rally was emotional and she was glad the senate voted in support of the campus resolution.
“Shout out to the DACA recipients that spoke, and to the students that got all of that together, particularly Noah Nordstrom,” Miller said. “I’m happy that there’s an official statement from the student body that says we support undocumented students and DACA recipients.”
