Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar
Students and senators took a stance against AI-generated ads being used for University advertisements and discussed donating feminine hygiene products at the 62nd Student Government Association’s meeting on Oct. 21.
AI-generated ads
Supply chain management senior Avery Sparks addressed the Senate, alongside Sen. Chelsea Diaz’s proposed bill.
AI-generated ads were seen for Family Weekend promotion on campus. This sparked disappointment from students and senators alike, highlighting that outside of the environmental impact AI produces, student and staff artwork may dwindle with an increase in AI usage.
“When I see an AI ad, I am immediately discouraged from attending the event,” Sparks said. “Without communicating to me, you couldn’t even put in time to make it AI-free, you probably haven’t put much time into the event. Art is a central part of community and human connection.”
Diaz proposed her bill that advocates for elimination of generative AI usage in UH ads, and brought in her own knowledge within the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, sharing the necessity of having the knowledge of what is being showcased.
“It is incredibly important that students learn the importance of connecting with each other to design posters, not by inputting a prompt into ChatGPT on building a poster about Family Weekend,” Diaz said. “As someone from the NSM college, it is a big deal to do research posters. If you cannot create a poster using your own knowledge about what you’ve researched all semester, then I don’t think you understood it.”
In response to this proposed bill, many senators questioned who would oversee or how this bill would be directed. Senators discussed whether this would be delegated to Registered Student Organizations, as their marketing is an internal process that is not overlooked by the University marketing office.
Women’s History Month
Alongside Diaz, Sen. Zurisadai Dieguez previously proposed an event during Women’s History Month in March that SGA shall hold every year in which all RSOs would compete to donate the greatest number of feminine hygiene products, including but not limited to pads, tampons and sanitary wipes.
“For some students, purchasing feminine hygiene products becomes one more financial burden to manage,” Dieguez said. “No student should have to ever worry about accessing products that are essential to their health and comfort.”
Both bills will go up for a vote in two weeks.
Also at the meeting, Director of External Affairs Daniela Gonzalez Quintanilla left her position, effective Oct. 22. She was involved with SGA for three years.
“I’m really grateful for all the opportunities I have had here in SGA, the support from everyone and the advisors, and for contributing to the work we have accomplished,” Gonzalez said.
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