By: Jeff Engelhardt
For the first time this semester, the Undergraduate Student Government proposed constituent-based resolutions. While almost all of the resolutions passed with little debate, a set of resolutions aimed to help students in the College of Education and Human Services had to be tabled.
Dana Agusto, a senator representing the College of Education and Human Services, proposed the university offer the Illinois Basic Skills Test, a mandatory test for all students wanting to get into the teacher education program, on campus.
Currently, students must go to John A. Logan Community College to take the test and Agusto said that has been problematic for students who do not have any means of transportation.
She also said the university should offer transportation to John A. Logan for as long as the test is offered there.
The senate brought up concerns about cost and how much students would actually use the services. Ashley White, a senator involved in the College of Education and Human Services, said it is a much needed service since the test is offered at 7 a.m. on Saturdays when transportation options are limited.
Agusto also proposed that the mandatory classroom observation for students in 200-level education courses, should also provide transportation. She said many times students have to go to Murphysboro, Pickneyville, Benton and Marion and struggle to find ways to get there.
Again senators worried about cost and use of the services, but Agusto said she is involved in the College of Education and Human Services and her constituents know better than anyone how important these services would be.
“These are concerns from my constituents so they are not going to benefit every student on campus,” Agusto said. “If I were in College of Business, then it would benefit them, but this is very needed for students wanting to be teachers.”
