UF's Student Senate discussed upcoming changes to the Reitz Union's food choices, including the closing of Wendy's, at Tuesday night's meeting.
Reitz Union director Eddie Daniels stopped by at the beginning of the meeting to update senators on the upcoming changes. Pollo Tropical, the fast-food Latin restaurant replacing the Italian chain, Capeesh, should open by early July, he said.
But Latin food won't be the only new dish.
Daniels said Papa John's Pizza will take over Subway's spot. He said Subway will move to the ground floor and will offer three lines instead of two.
Wendy's will leave the Reitz Union on May 1, with Burger King or Chee Burger Chee Burger taking its place during the summer.
"Wendy's made a business decision that they can no longer continue under (Aramark's) terms," Daniels said. "The university really has no choice in the matter. The contract between Wendy's and Aramark will no longer work out."
Later in the meeting, senators hotly debated for nearly a half hour before passing a resolution supporting the DREAM Act. A resolution is a piece of legislation that states the opinion of Senate but takes no action.
Some senators took issue with the resolution's phrasing and proposed the wording be changed to merely encourage students to educate themselves on the issue.
But the majority felt Senate should take a stance.
"Vote it up or vote it down based on what you believe," said Orange and Blue Sen. Jonathan Ossip, who urged senators not to water down the resolution's wording.
The DREAM Act, which will be brought before the U.S. Congress in October, would allow undocumented students to attend a university. To be eligible for college, the students must have lived in the U.S. before turning 16 years old and must have a high school diploma or its equivalent to be eligible.
Earlier, about 15 members from Gators for a Sustainable Campus stopped by to speak about recently being denied SG funds from the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Committee chairwoman Virlany Taboada said next year the organization, which is three years old, could receive funding from a new SG agency, Gators Going Green, which replaced SG's Environmental Affairs Cabinet.
UF wildlife ecology and conservation senior Sara Hutton, the president of Gators for a Sustainable Campus, said the organization will seek funding from a different Senate committee.
Still, she said she scheduled a meeting with Vice President of Student Affairs Patricia Telles-Irvin to ensure funding for next year.
"We are going on good faith and assuming SG has the best intentions in mind," Hutton said. "We don't want to make this into a political battle."
Editor's note: Student Government's Environmental Affairs Cabinet is a part of the executive branch and not run by Student Senate.
