The Undergraduate Student Congress passed the “We’ll Buy it Ourselves Act of 2015” last night allowing for the purchase of a chain to go around the seal on the south oval.
The chain would cost $1,712 from the Congress Initiatives Fund, which would pay for the purchase and installation of the chain. The fund currently contains $5,000 and this is the first time the fund has been used, according to the minutes.
Congress originally passed a resolution requesting that a chain or rope be placed around the seal last semester, but the resolution failed when it went to the Graduate Student Senate. Senate members opposed the resolution because they felt that the area was not well lit enough and that the chain posed a hazard to bikers, said Connor Bourland, author of the act.
After the resolution failed in the senate, Bourland contacted OU President David Boren regarding the chain or rope for the seal. Boren told Bourland that he still supported the resolution, but would rather it be a chain instead. After that, Bourland asked for a quote from facilities management.
Bourland said that he does not know when the chain would be erected, as it would be up to facilities management to place the order, but that he would like it as soon as possible.
A chain around the seal on the South Oval would hopefully discourage students from walking on it and promote a new tradition at OU.
“All students can walk on the seal one day and one day only, and that is one time across the seal on the day they graduate,” Bourland said.
Bourland said that this new tradition comes from president Boren and Molly Shi Boren.
The seal was a $90,000 gift from the Borens, and congress members feel it should be protected, according to the minutes.
Congress also passed the following pieces last night:
- A Resoltution opposing Oklahoma House Bill 1361, which would give state officials the authority to choose whether to grant public records.
- A resolution urging the Common Education Committee to consider HB 1362, which would require all public schools to develop rape or sexual assault response programs.
- An act allocating $1,200 of emergency funds to four student organizations.
- A resolution supporting the Live On, University Campaign.
- A resolution expressing condolences on behave of the student body for the victims of the Chapel Hill shooting.
- A resolution opposing Senate Bill 733, which would require two people to be screened for any infectious diseases in order to obtain a marriage license.
This article was updated at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25 to include that this was the first withdrawal from the Congress Initiatives fund and that the seal cost $90,000.
