REQUEST FOR ACTION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 
 
All requests may be typed and submitted to the Executive Vice President no later 5:00 p.m. Thursday in order to be included in the agenda for the following Tuesday. The Executive Vice President reserves the right to delay the Request for Action to a later Council session if the Executive Vice President feels the agenda for the next schedule meeting is full.
 
Item Number: 96 Legislation Number (B: Bill, R: Resolution): R51-84
Author:   Amy Fan   Second:  Siddharth Baranwal
Synopsis: In Support of Open Hours for HIV Testing
Date of Presentation: 2016-05-12
 

WHEREAS Human Immunodeficiency Virus, known as HIV continues to serve as a concern nationally, globally, and locally, with 13,000 people living with HIV in Los Angeles, 7,000 people living with HIV in Orange County, 261 new confirmed infections in Orange County in 2014, 75% which are made up of men who have sex with men, also known as MSM.

WHEREAS people ages 13-24 years of age are least likely to be diagnosed upon infection, and a significant number of Asian-Pacific Islanders within Orange County are not linked to care while Hispanic Americans the ethnicity most likely not to be retained in care.


WHEREAS STI testing, HIV testing, and HIV awareness is deemed of utmost importance for college campuses nationally while the University of California, Irvine is situated in Orange County and is made up of many diverse students from various backgrounds which include students who are low-income, first-generation and international, students of color, LGBTQIA-identifying, undocumented, and those who do not have the best access to healthcare.


WHEREAS, it is difficult for many students to have access to HIV testing in consideration to classes, work, and health accessibility,

WHEREAS, historically, the Student Health and Wellness Center has had limited hours for free HIV testing that students have found inaccessible,

WHEREAS, the Advocacy Committee of legislative council in the Associated Students of the University of California, Irvine, has had conversations with members of the Student Health and Wellness Center in affiliation to free HIV testing,


WHEREAS, the Student Health and Wellness Center has sought out to remedy this issue from past years by having open hours of testing based off the student’s schedule in accordance to the programs manager’s availability on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the currently proposed weeks 3, 6, and 8 of the academic year,


WHEREAS, these HIV testing sessions are free, needle-free and consist of a quick cheek swab, and generally invasive for students that may suffer from anxieties and dysphoria relating to health examinations and medical instruments,


WHEREAS, free HIV testing is helpful to students in terms of determining their status and more open hours can help decrease the stress of scheduling for students,


THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that Legislative Council of ASUCI supports the Student Health and Wellness Center’s decision to create extended open hours for HIV testing.

[1] http://lacityaids.org/statistics.html

[1] http://ochealthinfo.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=43691

[1] http://ochealthinfo.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=51958
 
Referred to: Committee on:
Vote Required: Majority FINAL VOTE: Passed YEA: 14 NAY: 0  ABS: 0
 
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ON THE DATE OF 2016-05-12 HAS TAKEN ACTION ON THIS LEGISLATION.    
   
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Executive Vice President, ASUCI      Verification of Executive Cabinet