University Star

The recent increase in meal prices for on-campus dining is forcing lower-income schools in the area to cut back on taking tours at Texas State.

To help the cause, a bill was read at Monday’s ASG meeting that may give these schools the extra help they need.

“Recently, there has been an increase in the prices of Chartwell’s food,” said Sen. Jonathan Moldenhauer, author of the bill. “It is causing local middle schools to have to cancel campus tours because they just cannot afford it.”

Moldenhauer said the bill, entitled, “College Awareness Tours” will appropriate money so students can attend the university visits. He said the senate will donate around $2,000 per semester from the ASG budget.

“These schools are less privileged,” Moldenhauer said. “These tours are a great opportunity for them to see what a day in the college life is like that they would not receive normally. It really gives them a great view of college and an opportunity to meet and talk with college students.”

The campus tours provide important information regarding the benefits of higher education in the hope the students will view college as a dream that can be achieved, according to the bill.

“ASG is usually excited when it comes to bringing the community and Texas State as a whole together,” Moldenhauer said. “This is an excellent opportunity to do that.”

Moldenhauer said he has a good feeling the bill will pass.

Sen. Colter Ray sponsored the bill. He said it is a great opportunity for ASG to keep a good relationship with the community.

“Unfortunately, Chartwells had to cut their funding because of the current economic situation,” Ray said. “ASG has the money to do it, though. It is only a couple grand.”

Ray said the bill is set for this semester and the next, but not an annual basis. Further action would have to take place before that happened, he said.

“I really think the college awareness tours are the positive step in strengthening our bond with the high school students in San Marcos,” said Sen. Brice Loving. “A significant amount of the community is in poverty and for a lot of those kids college is thought to be out of reach.”

Loving said visiting students will have the chance to experience some of the nice things Texas State has to offer, like on-campus dining.

“Chartwells does a great job with the food on campus,” Loving said. “It is important they have the chance to experience that while they visit.”
Monday’s meeting also hosted a reason for germophobes to rejoice.

A new bill will be voted on next week that would require hand sanitizer be placed in every computer lab on campus.

“When I started doing the research on it, it is staggering how dirty these computer labs can be,” Ray said, who wrote the bill with Sen. Ariana Vargas. “Consider how often each person is washing their hands. One guy can sneeze and keep typing on his keyboard, and then right after, another student comes in, sits down, and starts typing. That is all it takes.”

Ray said if the bill is passed, hand sanitizer pumps will be placed in each computer lab, and refills will be provided monthly.

A sign nearby will also provide an explanation on the use of hand sanitizer and the promotion of a healthier campus, according to the bill.