By Andrew Thibaudeau, Staff Writer
Monday’s meeting brought a few proposals to the table. A variety of student-oriented events were brought up at the meeting, many of which will be occurring later this week.
Officer Reports
In the coming weeks, there are plans for events such as a round-table meeting with the Gettysburg police chief, a Hillel event, an arcade night in the CUB Ballroom, and an Italian culture event in Glatfelter. There will also be a mocktail event at Waldo’s at 7 p.m. on Friday night.
Guest Speaker
Associate Dean for Inclusion and Belonging Cristina Garcia spoke at the meeting, explaining the role she has on campus. She took ideas from Senate on how to better connect with students, and shared the work she has been doing.
Student Concerns
A major concern voiced throughout the meeting by both Senate and audience members was the issue of duplicate emails being sent to student accounts. It was agreed upon that this would be brought up to the IT department.
Another email-based concern was introduced regarding improper names being used on the Dean’s List. Some students were not addressed by names they wish to be called. The GSRC and College Life were made aware of this.
Two street lights were reported as nonfunctional, one in front of Pennsylvania Hall and the other in the Stadium Lot. Both will be mentioned to facilities staff.
Senate Proposals
The first proposal was one that was tabled last week, and it concerned BMC allocations per semester being reduced down to $500, instead of $800. However, it was proposed by a member who was unable to attend while it was being voted on. With that in mind, the Senate decided to table the amendment until the return of the member.
A Grant of Authority was brought before the Senate today. This grant concerned the Board of Committee Chairpersons, but it became controversial due to its mentions of the Treasurer voting on budget appeals. A motion to amend the grant was made, and this stated that the treasurer would only be given the power to observe at the meetings.
This was passed, yet it left a remaining issue, as there would only be four voting members in these situations, meaning that there could be a tie. A tie in votes would lead to an automatic failure of the request. Some ideas were discussed, but it was decided that this proposal would be tabled.
An opinion was presented that demonstrated how students are upset over current compensation for students working part-time on campus. Students were adamant that the floor needs to be raised for all positions. They wanted to see some change in accordance with inflation and wages that have been increased throughout the country. Amendments mainly regarding verbiage in the opinion were proposed. Eventually, after hearing multiple adjustments being offered, it was decided that the opinion would be sent back to the committee for reworking.
Additional Information
Senate also held an executive session after the meeting. This session was closed, but Zamora explained that during it, Senate members discussed the manner in which they talk about issues at meetings. It was reiterated that respect was imperative, boundaries must be upheld, and most importantly, that the Senate is non-partisan and should focus on the student body’s best interest. This was done in hopes of facilitating Senate function and to assuage any tensions amongst members.
