Editor’s Note: Previously this article had said that a vote passed by unanimous consent instead of a tallied vote. The Iowa State Daily has updated this article to accurately reflect the decision. The Daily regrets this error. 

Student Government was visited by several College of Veterinary Medicine students concerning racism, passed two funding bills and declared a climate emergency.

Opening Student Government’s weekly meeting, Sen. Kate Alucard shared her discomfort for the reported racism and xenophobic actions at the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) from students and administration.

“I do want you guys to really think about what you can take from this and how microaggressions might affect your constituents as well as what people might not be bringing to the table because don’t feel safe,” Alucard said. “How do you make your college, your major, etc. an inclusive environment?”

Other students echoed Alucard’s stance on the issue.

Karen Chen, a second-year Veterinary Medicine student, touched upon a racist meme being made on the CVM class Facebook page.

“Think about this analogy,” Chen said. “Let’s say a racist joke is the equivalent to a punch in the face. Which actually, I think, is much worse than a punch in the face. If someone were punched in the face, and that person expressed displeasure at being punched in the face, explained why there was no basis for being punched in the face [and] explained that being punched in the face is problematic and asked the person who did that and those who enjoy watching to do better than that. How would that be attacking the person doing the punching? Even if the person who is punched expressed anger and I don’t know about you, but I would personally say that a person’s anger is completely valid.”

Another second-year Veterinary Medicine student, Allison Culver, expressed her frustration with the topic as well.

“I’m disappointed, and I’m ashamed of many of the people at our school,” Culver said. “I shouldn’t have to be here the night before an exam, none of us should, but we are here because this is important. The things that have happened at Veterinary College at my roughly year and a half of attendance, just like Karen, are extremely concerning if I’m going to put it lightly and horrible if I’m going, to be honest.”

Shortly after open forum finished, the bill to censor the CVM administration passed by a vote of 29-0-0.

The bill included a push for the CVM administration to commit to contribute to inclusive work and learning environments, correspondences be direct and specific when addressing attacks upon marginalized communities, review existing policies regarding diversity and inclusion, among other resolutions.

Additionally, two funding bills were reviewed and passed at the Senate meeting.

The Peterson Squadron took a trip to Notre Dame University for a basketball tournament last week. The group asked for the remaining travel expense to be covered by the Senate Discretionary account of $291.04.

The bill passed with a vote of 28-0-1.

Student Government also decided to fund $678.70 from the Special Projects account for stickers and a mass email for Heroes Week. The event’s purpose is to represent marginalized identities at Iowa State and plans to be held the week of March 8-13.

The bill passed with a vote of 26-0-3.

Also, Senate moved to pass a Climate Emergency bill with a vote of 28-0-1.

The resolution of the bill includes that Iowa State should be committed to reducing fossil fuel use and create a plan to reach carbon neutrality as soon as possible.

For more information or to contact your senator, visit stugov.iastate.edu. The senate meetings are open to the public at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.