The University of North Florida Student Government Senate unanimously passed the Executive Commissions Statute at the Student Senate meeting on Jan. 31.
The bill allows Black Student Union and Pride Club to join SG as a commission, giving them back a physical space on campus they lost in May 2024 following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-DEI legislation.
The legislation, SB 266, prevents UNF and any other Florida public university from using any state or federal funding to promote, support or maintain any programs or campus activities that “advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion; or promote or engage in political or social activism,” according to the Florida Senate.
The Executive Commissions Statute was originally introduced to the SG Senate on Jan. 13 by Student Body President Micheal Barcal and Student Body Vice President Ashlyn Davidson, with sponsorship from Senate President Audrey McGrath.
After receiving unanimous approval in the SG Senate and Committee meetings earlier this month, BSU and Pride Club officially became commissions on Jan. 31 following the student Senate’s passage in an 18 to zero vote.
Commissions are defined in the SG Senate Legislation as “an administrative division of the Executive Branch created to allow students that identify with a specific group a protective platform to express and celebrate their culture at the University of North Florida and Jacksonville community.”
Because commissions are considered a part of SG’s annual Activity and Service fee budget, SG is able to fund these groups without violating state law and Board of Governors regulations.
BSU and Pride Club will officially become a part of SG and will receive $7,000 each in operating expenses per fiscal year.
SG tracked which RSOs were originally housed in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to determine which organizations could become commissions.
In the end, BSU and Pride Club agreed to SG’s proposal to become the first commissions, according to Barcal.
Barcal also explained that it took some time to get the legislation off the ground, but they designed the commissions statute with hopes for other organizations to join SG as a commission in the future.
“If new commissions wanted to be added, they could,” Barcal said about the statute.
Barcal said these commissions can use SG spaces for meetings and events.
After the meeting, Barcal and Davidson spoke about what it means to them to pass this bill for BSU and Pride Club.
“We can’t fix it overnight, but we can start, and that foundation is important,” Davidson said.
“I’m excited to see the hard work that we’ve done come to fruition,” said Barcal, “But it’s not really about us today. It’s about those clubs, those organizations, that meant the world.”
“Let the haters hate,” said Barcal about the Executive Commissions Statute, “but I don’t hear any haters about this one.”
Up next: committee meetings
The next SG committee meetings are set to take place next Friday, Feb. 7.
- Rules and Oversight Committee: Feb. 7, 10 a.m.
- Budget and Allocations Committee: Feb. 7, noon
- University and Student Affairs Committee: Feb. 7, 2 p.m.
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