The 19th Assembly of the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) met on Wednesday to pass nine bills.

The meeting opened with three presentations. First, Director of the First Year Council Owen Haddad discussed how the UPUA assembly can help support the incoming first-year council. He explained how the current UPUA members can support new members and detailed how the UPUA mentor/mentee program will run for the 2024-25 academic year.

Next, representatives from the UPUA Department of Public Relations shared information about the media guidelines. This included explaining how to submit a request to PR, the process for creating graphics, and how to properly interact with campus reporters during interviews.

Following reports from President Zion Sykes and Vice President Rasha Elwakil, the assembly moved into new business.

New Business 

The first piece of new business was Bill #10-19: Funding for Purple Thursday. This bill allows funding for UPUA to purchase purple ribbons to be handed out during Purple Day on Thursday, October 17. 

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Penn State Gender and Equity Center, in collaboration with UPUA, is set to have a table from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, in the HUB. The event aims to spread awareness about domestic violence while reducing the stigma on campus and encouraging students to wear purple in support of survivors. The bill also sponsors the purchase of gift cards, which will be awarded to students who tag Penn State Gender and Equity and UPUA in their Purple Day social media posts. 

Bill #10-19: Funding for Purple Thursday passed unanimously. 

Next was Bill #11-19: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Speaker Event Cosponsorship. This bill supports UPUA in hosting speaker Abigail Breslin on Tuesday, October 3, as a keynote presenter for Penn State Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

Breslin is an award-winning actor known for her role as Olive in Little Miss Sunshine and her star role in the horror-comedy Screams Queens. At the event, moderators will chat with Breslin about identifying abuse and discuss ways to support survivors. In collaboration with the Gender Equity Center, Panhellenic Council, President Leadership Academy, and Counseling Services, the conversation will provide an intimate glimpse into how to develop healthy relationships and navigate the dating field in a safe and informed manner. 

Bill #11-19: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Speaker Event Cosponsorship passed unanimously. 

Following this was Bill #12-19: Funding for “Energize With Ezra” (Mayoral Office Hours). This bill creates a set time slot of mayoral office hours to help strengthen the connection between the State College borough and the Penn State student body. Ezra Nanes serves as the mayor of State College, and UPUA believes that the undergraduate student body should possess more knowledge about the function of the borough, its resources, and its connection to the Penn State community.

To bridge this gap, UPUA has set up mayoral office hours from 1 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29, in the HUB. The bill also covered the funding to provide refreshments and snacks throughout the event.

 Bill #12-19: Funding for “Energize With Ezra” (Mayoral Office Hours) passed unanimously. 

Next on the agenda was Bill #13-19: Talks with Takac Room Booking. This bill provides funding to reserve the Lion’s Lair for an event featuring Pennsylvania Representative Paul Takac. In collaboration with the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council, Takac is set to discuss voter registration and share the many resources his office offers students. Free food and informational brochures will be available throughout the discussion. The event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, in the HUB’s Lion’s Lair.

Bill #13-19: Talks with Takac Room Booking passed unanimously.

The assembly then presented Bill #14-19: Funding for Fall 2024 Light Up The Night. This bill funds Instagram advertisements and pamphlets for the University Park “Light up the Night” event in collaboration with Centre Bikes and Penn State Transportation Services. Set to take place on Monday, November 4, the event will focus on raising bike safety awareness for students across campus. During the event, volunteers will hand out informative bike safety pamphlets and complementary bike lights to students.

Bill #14-19: Funding for Fall 2024 Light Up The Night passed unanimously.

Bill #15-19: Funding for What to Fix (WTF) Day Fall 2024 was next. The bill commits UPUA to perform WTF day student outreach on Monday, October 21, in the HUB. In addition, the bill funds the purchasing of baked goods and UPUA merchandise to be distributed at the event. 

WTF day is a UPUA legislative-led event that allows any student to speak with student representatives about what improvements could be made to campus life. This can cover issues from operational changes to logistical updates, or any areas that the Penn State student body advocates for changes. During the event, UPUA will hand out surveys to any students wanting to provide feedback, and then provide copies of these responses to the Campus Operations Committee. 

Bill #15-19: Funding for What to Fix (WTF) Day Fall 2024 passed unanimously.

The seventh bill presented to the assembly was Bill #16-19: Funding for Know Your Academic Rights Campaign Fall 2024 (Faculty Senate Policy 42-27 Asynchronous Instruction on Election Day). Based on Faulty Senate Policy regarding class attendance, this bill funds Instagram posts aimed to inform Penn State students of their right to asynchronous learning on Election Day on Tuesday, November 5. 

To encourage more students to participate in their right to vote, the Penn State Faculty Senate introduced Policy 42-27, allowing students, within reason, to attend class asynchronously or make up any work missed on Election Day. UPUA’s Instagram advertisements will provide students with details on how to petition if an instructor refuses their requests, as well as other relevant Election Day information. 

 Bill #16-19: Funding for Know Your Academic Rights Campaign Fall 2024 (Faculty Senate Policy 42-27 Asynchronous Instruction on Election Day) passed unanimously.

Up next was Bill #17-19: Funding for the 6th Annual NAACP Block Party. This bill supports UPUA in funding a variety of games to be brought to the NAACP Block Party on Saturday, October 12. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is holding its sixth annual block party, set to feature a wide range of entertainment and performances.

The event acts as a safe space for students to showcase their cultural pride and celebrate their unique heritage in a captivating and vibrant fashion. The NAACP’s mission is rooted in creating a sense of inclusive community for those of diverse backgrounds and uses its Block Party event to help first-year students integrate into the Penn State community. 

 Bill #17-19: Funding for the 6th Annual NAACP Block Party passed unanimously. 

The last bill of the night was Bill #18-19: Note-Taking Workshop with WorkLink. Spearheaded by the Justice and Equity committee, this bill funds the purchase of Dunkin Donuts for a WorkLink workshop event from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9. WorkLink is a Penn State organization that runs a two-year program preparing students with learning disabilities for the professional world. The workshop will help WorkLink students learn how to be engaged note-takers in both academic and professional contexts.

 Bill #18-19: Note-Taking Workshop with WorkLink passed unanimously.