Student Senate Tables Amendments to Promote Wider Campus Participation
The Student Senate flag flies above Penn Hall (Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College)
By Kyle Beatty, Staff Writer
This week’s Senate meeting opened with the swearing in of Senator Shane Carley ‘22, followed in short order by a vote on parliamentary procedure. While previously, weekly Senate meetings alternated between voting sessions and sessions dedicated solely to discussion, the newly passed motion removes this separation in anticipation of more productive in-person Senate meetings.
The Budget and Management Committee (BMC) introduced a three-part budget request from Biosphere for three events: paint by number kits for stress relief painting, reusable water bottles for a bottle-decorating event co-hosted by GECO, and succulent plants. BMC recommended the full dollar amount be granted, and the Senate passed the request.
The Senate tabled multiple amendments to the constitution, beginning with an expansion of the Diversity Committee’s mandate to include promoting greater participation among the student body’s underrepresented groups in student government. Diversity committee is also expected to coordinate closer with clubs on events, although it was specified that funding would still go through BMC on behalf of the clubs.
Senate tabled an amendment that would significantly alter the candidacy process for elections. The amendment strikes the requirement to gather signatures before running for office, requiring students to instead submit statements of purpose and responses to questions about student life and the senate’s role in the College.
President Kurtis Grey ‘21 pushed discussion of engageGettysburg to next week’s meeting, not wanting to prolong the current 80-minute session. The meeting closed with committee reports, with Colin Hughes ‘23 noting that the school has addressed the Senate opinion on disability accommodations, and is working to resolve shortcomings in accessibility in certain buildings.
