Editor’s Note (10/24/2022): This story has been updated to note that the library renovation resolution was sent to committee, not passed as originally published.

Library funding resolution – Sent to committee

CORRECTION – The Library funding resolution was referred to the Academic Affairs Committee on Oct. 20. The resolution was not passed in the Senate session.

The resolution encourages The University of Alabama to fund the University Libraries Master Plan and renovation of Gorgas Library and Rodgers Library.

The resolution is in response to the “success” of the renovation of Angelo Bruno Business Library, which reopened to students this semester.

Clay Bruce, the author of the resolution and a senator for the College of Engineering, said he hopes it encourages the University to add improved furniture and more study spaces to the popular libraries.

Bruce said Rodgers Library is supposed to be dedicatedly modern for the College of Engineering, but it is not fulfilling that goal due to old, wooden furniture and a lack of group study spaces.

For Gorgas Library, he cited issues with small study spaces.

“Those fill up really quickly,” Bruce said. “I think adding group study spaces would have a big impact for a lot of students, especially those not in the business college.”

Bruce said that the libraries’ closures due to renovation could limit students’ places to study, especially for engineering students who study at Rodgers, but he said there are other places that are popular as well. Bruce said Shelby Quad, C.M. Comer Hall and the North Engineering Research Center’s basement are alternatives.

Bruce noted that Gorgas could potentially be renovated floor-by-floor, allowing most of the library to remain open.

The senator said funding the University’s Library Master Plan would allow the University to keep up with other large schools’ libraries.

Bruce said that renovating the library will help the University alongside students.

“As the libraries have been improved, we’ve seen greater job placement for students after graduation, we’ve seen … [better] GPAs, and that shoots Alabama up in the rankings and then we get better students coming here in return,” Bruce said.

Scheduled office hours bill – Tabled 

The Rules Committee tabled a bill Thursday that would require senators to post their office hour schedule monthly.  

This is the second time this bill has been tabled for further review. During the Thursday Senate meeting, the bill was stated to have already been tabled by the Rules Committee the week prior, so it was not put up to a vote.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Xzarria Peterson at a Senate meeting on Sept. 21 to keep a record of consistent office hours for each senator.  

The bill was tabled and sent to the Rules Committee at the Sept. 21 meeting. 

Earlier this semester, Tyler Tannehill, a senator for the College of Arts & Sciences, said he was concerned that tabling a bill could be a way to quietly kill it after his proposed electronic voting bill was tabled.  The bill has not been brought back for a vote since.  

The bill would require senators to set a consistent time and day of the week for at least one office hour every month. The office hour schedule of each senator would be posted to the SGA website. 

Currently, senators are required to perform three office hours per week according to the SGA Code of Laws. If a senator fails to do so, they will gain one “absent” as if they were absent from a Senate meeting. If a senator accrues enough absences, they are required to resign.

The bill says that keeping consistent office hours encourages students to meet with their senators and reduce confusion.