The 20th Assembly of the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) met on Wednesday to update the UPUA Election Codes, pass four resolutions, and six bills. 

The meeting opened with a presentation by the Collegiate Recovery Committee (CRC), the Penn State committee that supports students struggling with and recovering from addiction problems. The CRC representative showed UPUA a video with testimonies from CRC students, as well as alumni CRC members. The video also highlighted the on-campus student recovery support groups as well as the many on and off-campus activities that the CRC organizes.

The next presentation was by the Chair of the University Faculty Senate, Frantisek Marko, who spoke about the upcoming Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, February 19, and Friday, February 20. Marko also spoke about the overall functions and responsibilities of the Faculty Senate, specifically mentioning the proposition of a pass and fail policy. Marko urged UPUA, as well as the entire student body, to raise issues with the Faculty Senate to ensure that the organization can create policies that address the pertinent needs of the Penn State community. He also urged student Senators and representatives to speak out against any wrongdoings that they see taking place within the Penn State community.

Following reports from President Rasha Elwakil and Vice President Noah Youcheff, the assembly moved into Old Business. 

Old Business

First up for Old Business was Bill #55-20: Sponsoring Talks with Takac. This is a recurring UPUA event where students can talk with Representative Paul Takac in the HUB’s Lions Lair. The event is set to be held on Tuesday, April 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Bill #55-20: Sponsoring Talks with Takac passed 31-0-1.

New Business

The first piece of New Business for the night was Policy #04-20: Revision of the UPUA Election Codes. The only major changes listed to the election codes related to specifying dates, such as the date for the executive tickets debate and the date that all candidates’ web profiles must be posted to the Elections Information website. One notable change was made under Article IV, Registration and Candidacy, which stated that the Registration Period will begin at 7 a.m. on the Monday of the spring semester, four weeks before the election date. This period will then close at 5 p.m. two weeks later. 

Policy #04-20: Revision of the UPUA Election Codes passed unanimously. 

Next up was Resolution #13-20: Big Ten Crime Statistics Report and Recommendations. In this resolution, UPUA resolves to share the Big Ten Campus Safety Mechanisms and Crime Statistics report on its website and have physical copies in the UPUA office. This crime report includes data on the trends and patterns in crime across the Big Ten universities. The report can be used to help Big Ten universities identify areas for improvement and create specific safety measures to reduce campus crime. In addition to sharing the report, the assembly resolves to work toward the development of a campus safety app for Penn State, with the steps needed to complete this goal listed, such as student polling and conversations with campus stakeholders. 

Resolution #13-20: Big Ten Crime Statistics Report and Recommendations passed overwhelmingly, in the opinion of the chair.

Following this was Resolution #14-20: CATA Bus Stop Improvements. In this resolution, UPUA lists suggestions for CATA to improve their bus stops in the townships surrounding University Park. UPUA claims that these townships, such as Ferguson Township, have greatly increased in population, which means more individuals who rely on CATA transportation. These suggestions include improving street lighting, installing narrow shelters, and implementing charging stations for mobile devices. 

Resolution #14-20: CATA Bus Stop Improvements passed unanimously. 

Resolution #15-20: UPUA-sponsored Back-to-School Block Party was up next. In this resolution, UPUA plans to formally establish a planning framework for a UPUA Back-to-School Block Party. This party will take place each September, and will include collaborations with vendors, local business and student organizations. To ensure that the project can be completed in an efficient manner each year, the assembly seeks to standardize a timeline for the event, create a list of relevant contacts and vendors, and create a cost analysis. These lists and materials will then be stored in the UPUA records to be used by future assemblies.

Resolution #15-20: UPUA-sponsored Back-to-School Block Party passed overwhelmingly, in the opinion of the chair.

The final resolution of the night was Resolution #16-20: State Patty’s Safety Guide. In accordance with the assembly’s Hallo-weekend safety guide and previous State Patty’s resource guides, the UPUA Committee of Student Engagement and Wellness will create a State Patty’s resource guide to be shared with the Penn State community. This guide will include vital safety tips for the weekend, including information on standard drinks, tracking consumption, how to identify drink spiking, and information regarding the PA Medical Amnesty Law. Due to the prevalence of alcohol consumption during State Patty’s weekend, UPUA hopes to inform the student body on how to drink responsibly and understand the emergency resources available to them. 

Resolution #16-20: State Patty’s Safety Guide passed unanimously. 

The first bill of the night was Bill #60-20: Funding for National Agriculture Day Celebration 2026. Within this bill, UPUA plans to fund a National Agriculture Day Celebration on Tuesday, March 24, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the HUB ground floor. National Agriculture Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the agricultural industry, and is celebrated on a national level by the Agriculture Council of America. UPUA seeks to host its own celebration in collaboration with the College of Agricultural Sciences, in addition to clubs and organizations such as the Poultry Science Club, Block and Bridle, and the Food Science Club. The goal of the event is to educate the student body on the importance of the agricultural industry and promote the diverse range of involvement opportunities within the College of Agriculture.  

Bill #60-20: Funding for National Agriculture Day Celebration 2026 passed unanimously. 

Next up was Bill #61-20: We Care Week Funding. In this bill, UPUA’s Justice and Equity Committee, in collaboration with the committee on Student Engagement and Wellness, will be distributing necessities to the Penn State community free of charge. This project will take place across three days in February, where UPUA will table with Students United Against Poverty, The Food Recovery Network, and the Student Farm to distribute personal hygiene products, food products, school supplies, and cleaning products to students. This project is in direct response to the past Penn State Food and Housing Survey, which showcases how 13.2% of University Park students claimed that they had trouble securing food. In addition, the winter months often heighten basic needs insecurity and vulnerability for low-income students.

There was a brief recess taken before the vote on this bill, as there were concerns regarding where funding was being pulled to fund this project, specifically, funds being pulled from Coffee For Finals. Representatives spoke to Speaker Hogan to protect the money for Coffee for Finals and pull money from discretionary funding. This led to a second recess and then a discussion from the assembly, as some representatives disagreed with proposed changes to the bill, as all committees are having to sacrifice funds to support the bill. After further discussion, the assembly moved into a vote on the final proposed amendment, which passed 27-2-5.

Bill #61-20: We Care Week Funding passed 33-0-1.

Following this was Bill #62-20: Resource Expo Clothing Drive Collaboration With SUAP. This bill details a collaboration with Students United Against Poverty, Food Recovery Network, Alpha Phi Omega, Centre Helps, and Centre Safe to organize the Resource Expo Clothing Drive. This drive invites organizations to table and share resources with students, and UPUA plans to purchase two weighted stuffed animals and two heated blankets for the event’s raffle. Students can enter the raffle by donating their clothes on Wednesday, February 25th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the HUB. 

Bill #62-20: Resource Expo Clothing Drive Collaboration With SUAP passed unanimously. 

Bill #63-20: Sponsoring the NAACP Black Love Gala. This bill allows UPUA to contribute $300.00 for the photography service at the NAACP Black Love Gala 2026 event. The Penn State chapter of the NAACP is set to host the gala on Friday, February 20, in Alumni Hall, to celebrate communities of color on campus and host a night of dancing and fun. The event doors open at 5:45 p.m., with attendees encouraged to dress formally and wear neutral colors. Concerns were brought to the assembly by Vice Speaker Maguire Younes regarding the fact that UPUA is already providing the event with a photobooth, and that extra funding for photography service would not be needed.

Bill #63-20: Sponsoring the NAACP Black Love Gala 22-11-1.

The last bill of the night was Bill #64-20: Funding for Ride Safe Lyft Subsidies. This bill allows UPUA to provide Lyft Subsidy codes for students to travel within a 3-mile radius of Old Main. The assembly will fund 183 $15 codes from Friday, February 27, to Sunday, March 1. This will ensure that students who are participating in State Patty’s weekend activities do not drink and drive, and will have a safe, easily accessible mode of transportation for getting around downtown. However, students must be both picked up and dropped off within 3 miles of Old Main in order to use the coupon. The code for the Safe Ride is SAFERIDE2026. 

Bill #64-20: Funding for Ride Safe Lyft Subsidies passed 32-1-0.