Wichita State’s Student Senate passed legislation amending the Student Bill of Rights to add protections against discrimination in student organizations. 

The bill adds a sixth article to the Student Bill of Rights, saying students can not be discriminated against in “funding, participation, evaluation, registration, advising, attending, housing or any other aspect of University life.” This amendment adds protections for students with disabilities and also protections based on ethnicity, culture, age, veteran status, gender and sexuality.  

The bill was developed during the previous SGA session to protect WSU students following the lawsuit by multiple states regarding Section 504 protections, which defends students with disabilities from discrimination, in 2025.

“This is basically just an amendment to the Student Bill of Rights to guarantee protections for disabled students and other groups that would’ve lost protections had that lawsuit gone through,” Adult Learners Senator and sponsor of the bill, Andrew Hatch, said when the bill was first introduced on March 25. “I know it’s still in the courts right now, however, just preemptively getting ahead of any changes that might happen to 504 protections guaranteeing our students the right to participate in campus activities regardless of disability status.”

The vote passed with unanimous support on April 8. 

The Student Senate meets every week on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and live streamed on SGA’s YouTube. Members of the public, including students, can speak in the public forum period at each meeting.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify information regarding the lawsuit over Section 504 protections.