Resolution 23-01: MAKE ACCESSIBLE VOTING UNPROBLEMATIC (MAV UP)

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Number	23-01
Description	The Student Senate advocates for the implementation of a policy that would encourage students and give them the opportunity and to vote in elections through the use of asynchronous classes on election days.
Authored by	Yaseen Tasnif
Sponsored by	Yaseen Tasnif
Date Submitted	Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Date Considered	Tuesday, November 28, 2023
General Body Vote	Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Committee	Special Affairs
Result	In Executive Branch
Remarks
Whereas	All aspects of this resolution shall remain strictly nonpartisan, unaffiliated with any political party, political candidate, or political action committee (PACs), and;
Whereas	Texas is known for record low voter turnout and registration, especially amongst voters aged 18-24, Hispanic/Latin American voters, voters with limited English proficiency, and voters without a college degree, and the University of Texas at Arlington has large populations of these, and;
Whereas	While voting and voting access is a basic right as a citizen of the United States, early voting is not possible for some students on campus for a variety of reasons, election day being the only option, and;
Whereas	Texas voters, including those at the University of Texas at Arlington, have expressed concern about hardships related to voting as a result of the Election Integrity Protection Act of 2021, also known as the Texas Senate Bill No. 1, and;
Whereas	According to the U.S. government, election day is the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November, and;
Be It Further Resolved That	Faculty shall include a new policy in the syllabus that provides asynchronous or synchronous online classes for students to have the option to vote. As defined by the U.S. Constitution (every even-numbered year on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November) in time blocks deemed appropriate by the university administration.