The Undergraduate Senate voted Sunday against a resolution to nullify a previous resolution urging AU administration to recognize the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at AU.
Sixteen senators voted against the resolution, which would have condemned the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, compared to six senators in favor. Senators voting against the resolution said it was unnecessary and frivolous.
"It's just a waste of time to go back and do things again," said Class of 2010 Sen. Steve Dalton. "This was not a litmus test of where the senate stands on 'don't ask don't tell.' It's just a question of whether or not we should be addressing something we did a month ago."
The resolution would have been similar to the previous resolution, which encouraged AU administrators to give rights to the ROTC, including use of AUTO vans and vacant classrooms. Two clauses would have been added in the new resolution, according to Class of 2009 Sen. Jillian Rubino, one of the new resolution's supporters. One of the clauses would stress the Undergraduate Senate's opposition to "don't ask don't tell," while the other would make the previous resolution null and void.
Members of AU Queers and Allies who spoke to the senate at the end of the meeting said they were upset and surprised the senate did not want to change the resolution.
"I am a member of the community, [AU]," said Kelly Thomas, a freshman in the School of International Service and a Queers and Allies social co-chair. "It bothers me that when I bring up an issue, or an organization brings up an issue, certain members don't want to even entertain the idea of changing something."
School of Public Affairs freshman Matt Bulger said he did not know why senators opposed the resolution.
"I would like to pose to you a question of what would the cost of passing the resolution be opposed to the benefits?" said Bulger, who is also a AU Queers and Allies' campus life and advocacy co-coordinator, at the meeting. "There's more to the issue than just a simple amendment. There are deep-felt passions, as we saw today."
Rubino said she was disappointed by the resolution, which Class of 2012 Sen. Ryan Lloyd sponsored.
"Until 'don't ask, don't tell' gets repealed in Congress, I think it is incredibly important for us to stress that this university and this body, the Student Government, does not support discrimination," Rubino said.
Despite her disappointment, Rubino said she did not plan on introducing a similar resolution again.
You can reach this staff writer at crice@theeagleonline.com.