A resolution to give Resident Assistants priority scheduling for classes passed during a meeting of the Student Government Association at West Virginia University.
The resolution, which passed12-3, was presented last Wednesday to make it easier for RAs to schedule around their work hours. Many freshman and sophomore RAs are forced to drop classes to accommodate their work schedules, said Gov. Jason Butts.
"I’ve seen how many RAs have to work out their schedule," He said. "It puts a strain on us because we can’t fulfill the job as easily as we could if we scheduled classes around our work schedule."
Gov. Taylor Richmond said passing the resolution would produce higher quality RAs because of the privilege.
Questions were raised during discussions about including other student workers in the resolution.
Cassie Werner, the Mountaineer Maniacs director, asked if lifeguards at the Student Recreation Center could be given priority scheduling, too. Werner said she was once a lifeguard there and was forced to plan her classes around a 20-hour work schedule.
The University is wary to give priority scheduling to just anyone, Richmond said. There are approximately 180 RAs on campus, and only about 90 of them would need it. Priority scheduling would only benefit freshmen and sophomore RAs.
Student Health Chair Sawan Prabhu asked the board if it would be easier to reduce RAs work hours instead of changing scheduling procedures.
"If we would schedule two-hour blocks then it would be so much more difficult to manage nineteen RAs," Butts said.
Another resolution to provide Automatic External Defibrillators in every dorm and give CPR training to RAs was drafted by Student Health Chair Jon Bond and Butts. The current training for RAs during emergency situations is to call an ambulance, Butts said, adding the method is not practical.
Gov. Ryan Quinn said AEDs should be standard in all dorms because they save lives faster than calling 911.
"The statistic goes that for every three minutes you are having a heart attack, without an AED, you’re chances of survival decrease 10 percent," he said.
The board will vote on the resolution during next week’s meeting.
Calvin Smith of WVU’s Sierra
Student Coalition asked the board to look into the ethics of the administration accepting donations. The University accepted money from coal companies who have polluted water and harmed peoples’ health, he said.
"It’s bad for our political relationship of our school for us to be receiving money from them and supporting everything they do," he said.
Smith urged the board to back the idea of denying money from these companies by signing a petition.
Richmond suggested the University ask the companies to give more money for clean-burning coal research instead of cutting off funds.
"There is no such thing as clean-burning coal," Smith said. "The point of the petition is penalizing them saying, ‘No, we will not accept your actions.’ This will cause the companies to make up for it for good PR."
Gov. Paul Kast is looking into the issue.
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