IUSA seeks better meal plan, rape prevention

At its bi-monthly Congress meeting Thursday, the IU Student Association passed resolutions recommending revisions to the meal plan and supporting the administration in the creation of a sexual assault prevention program.\nSeveral members drew up a bill recommending IU give all students in the residence halls the option of customizing their meal plans with no obligation to buy meal points. The recommendation is similar to the options Willkie and Student Apartment residents have.\n"It is an unfair system," the bill's sponsor and Willkie Sen. Jacob Oakman, a junior, said, referring to the current meal plan. He pointed out what he said were unreasonable and inflated prices at many of the center stores and said he hopes the bill will cause the Residence Hall Association to improve its services and offer more competitive prices.\nJunior Ben Piper, a co-sponsor of the bill and member of the Legislative Relations Office, said the bill gives students more options.\n"It's a great bill," Piper said. "It gives students the freedom to choose and empowers them to make the changes they feel necessary."\nComments and suggestions about the bill flowed through Congress. Several members of IUSA suggested working with RHA and Residential Program Services to push the decisions to the administration. The final wording of the resolution called for IUSA executives to send a copy of the bill with a cover letter to the administration, including the board of trustees, and the director of RPS. The final resolution was adopted by Congress, 37-2-3. IUSA President and senior Meredith Suffron will present the opinions of Congress at the next trustees meeting when the meal plan budget is to be decided.\n"It will have a positive impact on the students on this campus," Piper said.\nA resolution to support a new sexual assault prevention program that will be targeted toward freshmen was another item IUSA discussed. Senior Rebecca Snyder, the sponsor of the bill and health and safety director, said the presentation will be required for all incoming freshmen and would take place during Welcome Week Activities in the Fall. She said it would be modeled after presentations given by Steve Thompson, a notable speaker on sexual assault issues. The presentation would get students involved and aware of the issues concerning sexual assault, she added.\nThe resolution was adopted unanimously by Congress, 41-0-0.\n"A program like this is long overdue," Treasurer Steven Bierly, a senior, said. "It can only do good for IU students."\nAmong the other issues touched on at the meeting was the process to get clocks on campus. Bierly said he and Suffron met with Vice President for Administration Terry Clapacs and University Achitect Robert Meadows, who both liked the idea. The two will next be meeting with Curt Simic, president of the IU Foundation, to talk about funding.\nVice President for Congress and senior Aaron Johnson said IUSA is also working on getting more pencil sharpeners on campus. Johnson said IUSA members passed out more than 1,000 pencils this week and are getting more people talking and aware of what they say is a problem.