During Thursday’s Senate meeting, resolutions dealing with cyber security on campus, following the SGA grants of power and other issues were discussed. 

At the meeting, Senate Chief of Staff Michael Cervino introduced R-27, which would partner the University’s Office of Information Technology with the Senate in how to use a new authentication service that works to decrease the number of MyBama accounts that are compromised every year. As cited in the resolution, the OIT receives roughly 13.1 million phishing attempts per week, and 6,200 accounts have been recorded as being compromised in recent years. 

Megan Bennett, a representative from the OIT, was present at the meeting to discuss a new verification system that focuses on reducing and eliminating the number of accounts that are compromised each year. She explained that the new system, DUO, works as a two-step verification process that will notify users when someone attempts to log on to their MyBama account. An individual who uses DUO can receive a verification message by push notification or email, verifying that they are the person trying to access the MyBama account. 

In addition, Bennet said if an individual using DUO is given a notification of someone trying to log on to their MyBama account and note that they are not the person attempting the log in, a member of the OIT will be notified and will immediately begin to investigate.

Ultimately, the resolution passed.

In addition to a resolution on cyber security, Senator Gonzalo Rodriguez, a law student at the University, reintroduced his resolution “calling for adherence to the SGA constitutional grants of power,” according to the resolution’s title. 

According to resolution, on Sept. 23, senators were told that SGA President Lillian Roth had decided to enact a new dress code policy for SGA members while they are in the SGA office. The resolution then states that this action lies outside of the powers granted to the executive by the SGA Constitution. 

In addition to this action by President Roth, the resolution also mentions an email senators received on Oct. 4 that said a senator would be required to perform double office hours the following week if they did not attend the then upcoming mandatory SGA-wide meeting. 

Rodriguez said a formal dress code and penalties for those who do not attend mandatory meetings has already been established in the Code of Laws.

“To be able to give any higher penalties, or to be able to change the circumstances upon which the dress code apply,  then, the SGA Constitution requires that a bill of law be passed to be able to amend- for it to apply to the Senate and for any other branch,” he said.

Rodriguez said the executive’s mandates had no constitutional force behind them because a bill of law was not passed.

The resolution ultimately urges all branches of the SGA to follow the constitution’s grants of power.

Rodriguez’s resolution was originally discharged from the Resolutions Committee with a favorable rating, but was subsequently sent to the Rules Committee for further review.

Order of Events:

1.) R-15 discouraging the use of styrofoam reintroduced, did not pass.

2.) R-19 encouraging the University to “loosen meal plan requirements for students with dietary restrictions” reintroduced, did not pass.

3.) A-09 establishing a pay scale for the SGA reintroduced, passed.

4.) R-23 calling for the adherence to the SGA’s separation of powers reintroduced, committed to the Rules Committee.

5.) R-27 calling for an increase in cyber security introduced, passed.

6.) A-11 removed from the docket in order to amend A-10 which had previously been passed by the Senate.

7.) R-26 creating a partnership between the SGA and Beat Auburn Beat Hunger introduced, passed.

8.) R-28 commending the Black Warrior River cleanup added to the docket and introduced, passed.