The Gainesville City Commission notified Student Senate on Tuesday morning that it could not attend the semester’s only joint meeting that night.
Student Government External Affairs director Jason Richards told Senate the joint meeting would be rescheduled to next semester. Senators will discuss with commissioners how UF and the city can work together to improve Gainesville.
Senate President Smith Meyers said the commissioners were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts, although they did not specify what the conflicts were.
“I look forward to collaborating with them on that meeting,” Meyers told senators.
Rules and ethics committee chairwoman Isabella Muncan (Impact, Liberal Arts) told senators they needed to complete their requirements by the Dec. 6 Senate meeting. She showed senators a document that outlined each senator’s unmet requirements.
“You are either elected or appointed to represent a group of people, and as of now you’re letting them down,” she told senators.
Senators representing districts are required to attend a city commission meeting, which could have been the scheduled joint meeting, she said.
University Police Capt. Jeff Holcomb told senators how to stay safe during finals week, when crimes usually increase near the libraries when students leave their belongings unattended.
Holcomb said UPD has installed cameras in the libraries to combat crime.
“We have seen a downturn in their crimes,” he said. “I’m hoping its because of the cameras; I’m hoping that trend continues.”
