The 19th Assembly of the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) met on Wednesday to elect its Movin’ On liaison, swear in three representatives, and pass one bill.

The meeting opened with three presentations. First, representatives from the Lion Caucus shared information about their organization and encouraged UPUA members to join. They discussed how the Lion Caucus is dedicated to advocating for Penn State through meeting with Pennsylvania state officials and discussing methods of increasing university funding. Each representative shared their experience forming connections with legislators and implored interested UPUA members to fill out the Lion Caucus online application by Friday, September 19.

Next up was Vice Chair of the Student Fee Board Michael Fowler and UPUA President Zion Sykes, who presented information on the University Park Student Fee Board and described its importance in funding vital resources for students on campus. This includes resources such as CAPS and UHS services, as well as the Lion’s Pantry and Campus Recreation facilities. Fowler and Skyes also showed the various sections of the board’s annual budget and discussed the role UPUA plays in providing these funds across campus.

Lastly, Vice President Rasha Elwakil discussed the expectations and goals for the UPUA 19th Assembly. This included dress code, email and social media etiquette, individual professionalism, and the importance of kindness toward other members.

Following reports from Sykes and Elwakil, the assembly moved into elections and swore in three representatives.

Elections & Swearing-ins

The first election of the night was for the UPUA Movin’ On Liaison. This position requires attending weekly Movin’ On executive board meetings and at least 10 committee meetings. The liaison will be the UPUA’s main point of contact for Movin’ On operations throughout the year.

The first speech for the Movin’ On Liaison position was Representative Akito Hatch. In his speech, Hatch spoke about his passion for music and past experiences organizing local concerts in his hometown. He implored that if he were elected as the UPUA liaison, safety would be the highest concern. Hatch suggested posting resources about crowd etiquette before Movin’ On events would help to educate students on how to stay safe during the event.

The next speech was given by UPUA Public Relations Director Shayla Hsu. She discussed the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for Movin’ On projects, and stated she would incorporate more DEI efforts if she was elected Movin’ On Liaison. Sustainability is also another goal Hsu hoped to strengthen, as she planned to recruit UPUA volunteers to help with clean-up efforts after Movin’ On events.

The final speech was from Representative Chris Goodrich, who shared his strengths in organization and coordination, which would be vital to the liaison position. He brought up his experience in Quiz Bowl in high school, which gave him experience planning wide-scale events with multiple moving parts. Goodrich ensured he would provide UPUA with information about the progress of Movin’ On projects, as well as lead focus groups with the student body to gather opinions on which musical line-ups they want to see at the end-of-the-year concert.

Following discussion within the assembly, Representative Chris Goodrich won the election of the Movin’ On Liaison. 

The second election was for the UPUA SPA Liaison. No students ran for the position, but Representative Hatch and PR Director Hsu were nominated last minute by two other UPUA representatives. Since both of these nominees did not have a speech prepared, and were not knowledgeable about the SPA liaison position, the election was tabled until the next General Assembly Meeting.

Following this was the swearing-in of the Director of Diversity and Belonging Amber Sheppard, the Director of Member Wellness Lincoln Hall, and the Director of ShIP Jack Meyer.

New Business

The only piece of new business was Bill #09-19 International Day of Peace. This bill provides funding for an International Day of Peace event from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17, on HUB Lawn. In collaboration with SPA, UNA-USA, Movin’ On, and the Association of Residence Hall Students, UPUA will host an event inspired by the United Nations International Day of Peace, typically celebrated on September 21. The event seeks to inspire collaboration between students, and showcase that peace can still be created within uncertain times. This bill will help fund activities for the event, such as tote bag decorating, rock painting, bracelet making, and buying snacks for the participants. 

Bill #09-19 International Day of Peace passed unanimously.