During the Student Government Association’s final meeting of the fall semester on Tuesday, Nov. 29, a resolution was passed that would lift the current pet ban and allow leashed pets on campus.
Caitlin Smith, a senior political science major from Panama City, Florida, and SGA publicity and marketing committee chair, said that she is very excited to see the resolution pass.
“I worked on this resolution for so long with the administration, the SGA and the student body,” Smith said. “I am so excited for it to be finally passed.”
Smith said that she will continue working on persuading the administration to approve the change, and she hopes to see it effective by the 2017 spring semester.
“I will continue to work with Dean (Herbert) Reeves on this resolution, and hopefully it will be in effect by next semester,” Smith said. “I am very optimistic about this.”
When asked about the anticipated effect of the resolution on the campus and the student body, Smith said she does not expect much change.
“I do not expect to see much change on campus in regards to the number of pets on campus,” Smith said.
“Students are already walking their cats and dogs on campus, so I do not expect a massive influx of pets as one might suspect. The ban on pets was passed only two years ago, and before that there wasn’t any problem with pets, so I do not see how it could be a problem now.”
The resolution has some limits on where the pets can be and what types of pets are allowed.
“We are only allowing leashed dogs and cats to be on campus,” Smith said. “They are not allowed inside buildings and must be attended to at all times. Leashed pets will not be allowed in large events just because crowded events and loud noise tend to stress animals.”
The vote to pass the resolution was not unanimous, and some senators still expressed opposition to the bill with previous concerns mentioned such as animal waste, allergies and possible harm to animals and/or students.
In addition to passing the resolution, the constitutions of the Troy Ad Club and Troy Study Abroad Club were approved.
Zack Anglin, a junior risk management insurance major from Charlottesville, Virginia, was appointed as Supreme Court chief justice.
Christopher Cude, a senior economics major from Birmingham, and Will Byrd, a junior biomedical science major from Auburn, were appointed Supreme Court justices.
Byrd said he hopes to serve the school with his position.
“It means a lot to me to be able to appointed as a justice in the supreme court,” Byrd said. “I will do my best to serve the school through this position and I hope I can learn from it.
“I’m excited and I’m ready for this.”
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