During SGA’s open meeting last week, Lynda Lyons made a presentation about Childcare on campus.
She stated that there will not be involvement with any curriculum based programs at the present time and that they are beginning negotiations with third parties to provide childcare for students, faculty and alumni. The details have not yet been worked out, but there is a PowerPoint and booklet with details that she has made available for interested groups. In other news, SGA President Rosalyn Hedgepeth discussed the House Bill 512 which would allow students to carry concealed firearms on campus.
Hedgepeth opened the discussion with an overview of the current law that has passed the House and will arrive at the Senate next week. She explained her opposition to the bill and stated that she has signed a letter to the Senate on behalf of KSU expressing opposition to the bill.
Hedgepeth represents the student body with the letter and stated that she did not need to explain her position since the student body elected her.
The Registered Student Organization group, Students for Concealed Carry, was well represented as information was passed out on HB 512 before the meeting. There were police present at the meeting to quell any disturbance.
Members from the RSO spoke during an open forum for 10 minutes. During this time, they refuted the information that Hedgepeth gave for her stance and dispelled myths about guns and safety. Towards the end of their time, Justin Massey stated that President Hedgepeth “did not ask our opinion.”
Massey wanted “KSU’s name off the letter and our opposition rescinded,” to which President Hedgepeth responded, “My stance as President is not changing.”
It was noted by one of the SGA senators that the Georgia Senate will be voting on this topic on Wednesday, and if they do not vote as a body at this meeting, the stance will mean nothing. The body then entered into a vote. The final vote was 3 for, 21 against and 11 abstained.