After much deliberation ASUW voted 20 to seven to adopt ACRES farm as an ASUW program.
Senate bill 2386, a bill to make ACRES farm an ASUW program, heard debate from both sides as well as from representatives from the farm.
“We provide Washakie with a small amount of produce but I would argue that we indirectly affect every student,” said ACRES representative Sarah Legg.
ACRES is a farm and RSO that grows produce for the university and the Laramie community that has been limited by its RSO status. The bill was proposed as a way to help pay salaries in order to help ensure more consistent labor and to help better serve students and community members.
Concerns were voiced over taking on a business.
“Our job is to take on small programs and then hand them off. This is kinda the reverse of that,” said senator Kat Hasley.
Senator Chris Haakinson stated concerns that equipment, such as a new tractor is going to be expensive. Senator Hasley reversed her devil’s advocate stance from earlier in the debate to say that money does not have to be the limiting factor in deciding if ASUW should adopt ACRES.
Other senators cited concerns about the impact the farm would have on students. Senator Justin Palm said, “I compare this to bailouts for auto companies and banks.” The senator then continued to compare taking on the farm to taking on a boat and expressed concern about issues that could come up in the near future.
“I don’t think it’s that substantial,” said senator Austin Olsen, “We’re all paying for each other’s educations here.”
The debate continued to mention that student fees will have to rise and that the farm would be a way to help tie ASUW to the Laramie community.
“Wyoming is a very ag dependent state. I really don’t see this opportunity anywhere else,” said Senator Josh Messer.
President Joel Defebaugh reminded the senate that “we love our programs and they all come back to the students.”
“We’re over the moon right now,” Sarah Legg said on hearing the passing verdict.
In other business ASUW heard from Andrew Hays from the audio and visual program ASTEC and passed the approval of the elections code.
