Members of OU Hillel alerted members of Student Congress Tuesday that the Westboro Baptist Church will protest their celebration of Rosh Hashana, the celebration of the Jewish New Year, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday. A posting on the Westboro Baptist Church Web site states that members of the church will protest at Hillel at that time on Friday, and then will stage three protests in Oklahoma City.

Members told Student Congress that they are planning events to counter the protest that will portray the Jewish community in a positive manner, but they also were expecting other students to counter the protest in a manner of noisemaking.

“We want to represent the Jewish community and our traditions in a positive manner, but we also wanted to let everyone know what is going on,” said the two students who represented OU Hillel. “We are thinking of having an open house or some other event.”

Student Congress also began planning for Green Week 2010 by giving the Physical Plant $1,500 to implement a more efficient recycling program.

“We all have to do our part, and tonight, it starts with us,” UOSA Student Congress Chairman John Jennings said. “2010 and Green Week will be here before we know it.”

Though Green Week 2010 is going to be held in the spring, UOSA began to plan Tuesday on ways to improve upon Green Week 2009.

Student Congress also heard about the Physical Plant’s environmentally-friendly initiative, Crimson and Green.

“We have a new Web site that allows students to make green commitments across campus,” Physical Plant spokeswoman Amanda Hearn said. “For every commitment received, we will contribute to $2 to green initiatives.”

Hearn said the green projects that are occurring at the Physical Plant will not be heavily marketed with paper in order to be environmentally friendly. She said students should spread the news mostly by word of mouth, and if students want to make a green commitment, they can sign up at the Crimson and Green Web site, www.ou.edu/sustainability.

Hearn was present to receive the forms for a money transaction between the UOSA account and the Physical Plant account since UOSA as a public entity can not give out checks for donations of generosity. The money will go to a new recycling program.

Rep. Brett Stidham, Student Congress Ways and Means Committee chair, said all budget analysis and data will now be digital in an effort to go green.

“We use 8-1/3 reams of paper when we compile a budget. I’ve been told that is nearly [one-] half of a tree,” Stidham said. “When we do things from now on, everything will be online, not in printed copies.”

Student Congress also donated $1000 to Green Week 2010 fundraising efforts for green organizations.

In other issues discussed at the Student Congress meeting, members were given the opportunity to talk to Deborah Engel of University Libraries.

Before the representatives asked questions to Engel, they were given an update on new innovations in the libraries, specifically Bizzell Memorial Library.

Engel told members that printing in the library is now linked to their Bursar account and that the library is also checking out laptops for students to use while they are in the library. She also said the library Web site has a Facebook chat-like feature on its Web site in which students may ask questions about the library.

After Engel’s presentation on updates to the library, representatives took the time to ask Engel about the library’s hours of operations and further renovations and future innovations.

“It costs a lot to keep the library open 24 hours, seven days a week,” Engel said. “We have implemented and will continue to improve upon our online services so students can get after-hours access to things they would get in the library if the library were open.”

Engel said the custodians also need the entire time the library is closed to clean the building and run industrial-sized vacuum cleaners.

Student Congress considered five pieces of legislation after the two special orders involving the library and Green Week 2010 were complete.

One approved resolution sent condolences to Sarah Lester, a senior whose father, mother and two sisters perished in a plane crash on their way to the OU-BYU game in Dallas Sept. 5.

“I don’t think this resolution can embody the pain and sorrow Ms. Lester is feeling, but we want her to know that we are thinking about her in this hard time,” UOSA Student Congress Vice Chair Matthew Gress said.

A second resolution honored all first responders that serve in Norman in both the OU and Norman Police departments and the Norman Fire Department.

“We want to honor those who continuously and altruistically put their lives on the line for our safety, especially since the anniversary of 9/11 just passed,” said Spencer Pittman, bill author and UOSA spokesman.

Two bills additional bills were emergency appropriation bills for student organizations totaling $3,750. The money will go to fund activities within student clubs and organizations for special events they will participate in throughout the semester. Another bill created a new position in Student Congress to have a member assist as a liaison to the Student Congress chair in appointments and legislation management.