The ASWSU Senate worked to amend outdated regulations and shared updates on the ongoing goal to improve campus life at Wednesday evening’s meeting.

Ashley Rockwell spoke on behalf of the WSU Disability Awareness Association. The association requested $2,500 from ASWSU to support an event in February to present information about disabilities. Rockwell said they hope to invite Amy Roloff, a public speaker made famous by TLC’s "Little People, Big World." “I think it’s important that other organizations support us,” Rockwell said. “People will come to see her. And if people learn about disabilities because they came to see her, that’s great.” Rockwell said the association cannot afford to invite Roloff without support because it costs $7,000 to bring her to campus. This would literally use every penny of the association’s budget, she said. The group is also requesting support from the Residence Hall Association, the ASWSU Executive Board and local businesses.

After deliberation, the Senate decided to table the request until it consulted with the Executive Board.

ASWSU Vice President Jay Hendrickson updated the Senate on ASWSU’s current efforts and successes on campus.

“We’re exploring ways that we can make this entire campus a little safer for everyone,” he said.

Hendrickson said they recently expanded the SafeWalk program. The number of volunteers has increased from 10 to nearly 40 per night, he said. Due to this jump in participation, SafeWalk will begin allowing organizations to volunteer as groups, rather than on an individual basis, next semester. Hendrickson also said, after an entire year of organization and planning, ASWSU-sponsored lights are finally up around campus to brighten dark areas at night. The group will continue to put up more lights in “sketchy” alleys on private properties around campus, he said.

ASWSU Director of Finance Javin Bakke said free H1N1 flu vaccines are now on campus, and students are encouraged to get vaccinated even if they have already been exposed to the virus.

“I really encourage all of you to get it,” he said.

Along with announcing the free vaccines, Bakke said the university is looking at hiring a new psychologist to lessen the backlog for psychological evaluations, which currently extends into February.

The Senate also approved an amendment to GPA requirements for senators, with 12 affirmative votes, four negative and one abstention. The new bill states that senators are required to maintain a 2.3 GPA, rather than the previous requirement of 2.5.

The Senate also sent an edited bill to committee review. The bill, if passed, will revise election codes for ASWSU to take into account new technology used for voting.