Student Council met for a regular general body meeting Tuesday to consider legislation that would change procedures for meetings during non-academic sessions and raise the Student Activities Fee. Philippe Hempel, chair of the representative body and fourth-year Architecture student, also announced changes to Student Council’s regular meeting structure.
Student Council considered a bill titled “A Bill to Amend the Bylaws to Reform Procedures for Non-Academic Session Meetings.” The bill was briefly considered during a Student Council general body meeting over the summer but was ultimately tabled.
The bill, sponsored by third-year Commerce Rep. Patrick Jo, proposes changes to the process of calling meetings during non-academic sessions. Currently, such meetings may be called only by the Student Council president or chair of the representative body and require unanimous consent from the president, vice president for administration, vice president for organizations and chair.
If passed, the bill would allow the president or chair to call a meeting with only the other’s agreement. Additionally, either leader would be required to call a meeting within two weeks of receiving a petition signed by at least half of all sworn-in representatives.
The bill follows the summer 2025 resignation of Jim Ryan, former University president and current School of Law professor. The resignation prompted Student Council to convene during the non-academic session.
Jo explained how that summer inspired him to introduce the legislation by pointing out that Student Council may be vulnerable if emergency meetings cannot be adequately called for.
“As everyone … who was here in summer 2025 knows, it was a chaotic time that required the Student Council representative body and leadership to respond to changes in University leadership,” Jo said. “Reflecting upon that time and reviewing our bylaws, I noticed a major vulnerability in the procedures for calling special meetings during non-academic sessions.”
Fourth-year College Rep. Lucas Addison spoke in support of the bill.
“I would truly believe that our current executive board … would convene us if so needed. But when shaping institutions, you don't plan for the best — you plan for the worst,” Addison said.
The bill was ultimately tabled for consideration at a subsequent general body meeting.
Student Council also considered a bill that would raise the Student Activities Fee — an annual fee included in students’ cost of attendance that funds student organizations — from $62 to $64 for the next academic year.
Harper Tran, vice president for organizations and fourth-year Batten student, presented an assessment of the fee and its use by Contracted Independent Organizations on Grounds.
Tran identified three challenges facing the fund. When the fee was established in 1971, it was $12, which Tran explained is equivalent to approximately $101 in today’s purchasing power. Tran also noted that CIOs consistently request more funding than Student Council can provide and that the number of operating CIOs has increased significantly in years past, placing additional pressure on the fund.
Despite these demands, Tran said that CIOs spent an average of 84 percent of their Student Activities Fee allocations in FY 26. She also noted that the Student Activities Fee is not the only source of funding for CIOs.
Tran recommended increasing the fee to account for inflation and increased demand, estimating that a $2 increase would generate approximately $52,000 in additional revenue for the fund.
Kayla Kim, fourth-year Data Science representative asked whether students could opt out of the fee. In response, Michael Mitchell, Student Council president and fourth-year Commerce student, said he understood that students could opt out.
“It's to my understanding that you can opt out of it … I have always heard that you can,” Mitchell said. “But if it's ever a financial burden, you can absolutely opt out of it.”
Tran later noted that the ability to opt out of the fee is not widely publicized. However, the University’s finance website lists the fee as mandatory alongside tuition, and a publicly available opt-out process does not appear listed.
First-year Rep. Joseph Jackson asked how Student Council plans to increase the percentage of allocated funds that CIOs spend.
“What we're looking at is working really closely with Student Engagement and Student Affairs Finance to make information as accessible as possible,” Tran said. “Having consistent workshops, office hours … really just pushing information out there as much as possible.”
Tran also noted that $126,000 in funds had rolled over from the previous year, because CIOs did not spend all the money allocated to them.
Student Council ultimately tabled the legislation.
Hempel also announced changes to Student Council’s meeting schedule and structure. Student Council will shift to holding legislative sessions at every other general body meeting, as opposed to weekly. At these legislative sessions, bills and legislation are considered by representatives and voted on.
The new schedule will give representatives dedicated time to work on legislation and meet in committees between legislative sessions, according to Hempel. He further said the new structure would help Student Council publicize legislative sessions and give the University community more opportunities to learn about proposed legislation before representatives vote on it.
“Well-functioning democracy … It requires a lot of public input,” Hempel said. “And, in a way, our meetings not being that broadcasted is a barrier to democracy.”
Several newly elected Student Council representatives were sworn in Tuesday, including First-Year Reps. and College students Woods Gamble, Jane Yuan and Joseph Jackson. New International Rep. Jason Wang, a doctoral candidate, was also sworn in.
Other newly elected representatives were not present to be sworn in, including Sean Gaines, first-year representative and College student, Junainah Zafar, transfer representative and second-year College student, Maria Berbert, international representative and first-year College student, and James Ford, student athlete representative and third-year Commerce student.
Manuela Kodwo, chair of external affairs and third-year College student, announced that Student Council’s town hall meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Nov. 17.
Student Council will reconvene Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. for a general body meeting which will include a legislative session.
Lucia Gambacini is a senior writer on the news desk covering Student Council and other topics pertaining to student life and government. She is a third-year College student from Richmond studying Political and Social Thought.
Read More
Interim Dean Jeffrey Blume discusses the School of Data Science’s role in growing field
By Piper Gill | 7 hours agoBlume came to the University in 2021, bringing years of experience in biostatistics, public health and data science in higher education.
Who is Gregory Fairchild, chair of the University’s third provost search committee?
By Ruby Budetti | 7 hours agoThis is the University’s third search committee for the next permanent provost — Beardsley chaired the second committee until January, which paused its work in March.
From the Archives: Fraternity life
By Maisy Callahan and Emily Conway | 2 days agoMore fraternities decide to partner with the Historic Renovation Corporation, a University-affiliated agency that provides tax credits for the restoration of historic buildings.
