The 2024-25 Student Senate poses for a photo at their last meeting of the academic year. (Photo provided by Student Senate)
By Brandon Fey, News Editor
This was the final meeting of the 2024-25 Gettysburg College Student Senate.
Officer Reports
President Michael Woods ’25 thanked the Senate for “a great year,” and acknowledged the “good work of all.”
Vice President Abby Ruggiero ’26 announced that the Senate’s big spring blowout will take place on Friday, May 2, and volunteers are needed.
Advisor Report
Director of Student Activities and Greek Life Jon Allen thanked the Senate for “a great year.”
Awards and Cords Ceremony
Graduation cords were given to graduating seniors for their role in the Senate.
Executive board cords were given to President Woods, Secretary Olivia Taylor, Parliamentarian Carl DeMarco, and former Vice President Geoffrey Meadville.
Voting Member and Committee Chair cords were given to Ashton Record, Will Vorosmarti, Reese Koch, Chris Miller, Colin Thibault, Gabe Taub, Stephen Shea-LaSala, Sierra Burch, Ethan Foote, Vivek Rallabandi, Isabella Roy and David Poulos.
Award certificates were given for the following awards:
- First-Year Senator of the Year: Garrett Bumps
- Sophomore Senator of the Year: Jocelyn Duquette
- Junior Senator of the Year: Dominic DiLuzio
- Senior Senator of the Year: Ashton Record
- Senator-At-Large of the Year: Alex Jurow
- Affinity Group Leader of the Year: Hudson Podielsky
- Committee with the Best Initiative: Opinions Committee
- Executive Board Member with the Most Initiative: Michael Woods
- Most Involved Club: Minorities in STEM
Other awards included the “Most Impactful Administrator,” given to Associate Vice President of Facilities Jim Biesecker and the “Jon A. Allen Award,” given to an administrator with the “values and enthusiasm of Senate Advisor Jon Allen, which was awarded to Associate Vice President for College Life and Dean of Students Jeff Foster.
Committee Reports
Garret Bumps ’28 announced that the College Life Advisory Committee (CLAC) met with people from the campus bike share provider, who have expressed frustration that the Senate is not maintaining the bikes despite having funded them. Bumps announced that he himself has been maintaining the bikes in the basement of the College Union Building, and this will be the responsibility of the CLAC chair in the future.
Club Reports
Colin Thibault read a thank you letter addressed to the Senate from the Newman Association for the Senate’s effort to convince the College to allow religious services on campus during commencement weekend. While the effort was unsuccessful this year, the letter encouraged next year’s Senate to continue working alongside the Newman Association to enact this change.
The College Republicans will host a potluck Friday in the Penn Hall Lyceum.
Public policy senior capstones will be presented on Friday in CUB 206.
Student Concerns
President Woods commented on the progress that has been made on previous student concerns. He announced that he has solved a total of 186 student concerns over the course of the year.
- The door handle for the side of the CUB, has been ordered, and will soon be repaired.
- The inadequate travel cup lids in the Bullet Hole are probably a substitution from the supplier, and Dining will try to get the old lids again.
- Options for a new sugar-free sports drink are being considered for the Commons.
- Raised platforms in Servo will be open on the weekends. Dining staff has changed the schedule for cleaning sections to allow this.
- Dining dollars expire at the end of each semester because they are part of a meal plan, though Woods said that if the Senate is interested, it could look into editing meal plans next fall.
- There is a current proposal to raise the minimum wage at the College to $8 per hour. This will be decided over the summer, and can be discussed by next year’s senate.
Woods then opened the floor to president-elect Alfredo Roman-Jordan for students to voice new concerns.
- The crossing light at the crosswalk at the intersection of Carlisle and Stevens Streets has been out of service for over a week.
- Mango slices and Chobani flips yogurt have been moved to the former “premade section,” of the Bullet Bar, causing potential confusion.
- There was discussion of a soft serve machine at Servo or the Bullet Bar.
Installation Ceremony
The ceremony technically represented a new transitional Senate meeting, for which the roll was called once more.
Parliamentarian Demarco certified that as elections coordinator, the elections for next year were certified as free and fair.
The executive board carried out the transitional ceremony, during which the new Senators were formally initiated asking to take their oaths of service.
The Senate executive board for the 2025-2026 year includes the following:
- President: Alfredo Roman Jordan ’26
- Vice President: Jocelyn Duquette ’27
- Parliamentarian: Dominic Diluzio ’26
- Treasurer: Nafay Amer ’28
- Secretary: Garrett Bumps ’28
- Inclusion Officer: To be determined
The incoming 2025-26 Student Senate executive board. From left to right: Garret Bumps ’28 (Secretary), Alfredo Roman-Jordan ’26 (President), Jocelyn Duquette ’27 (Vice President) and Dominic DiLuzio ’26 (Parliamentarian)
The outgoing 2024-25 Student Senate executive board. From left to right: Michael Woods ’25 (President), Olivia Taylor ’25 (Secretary), Carl DeMarco ’25 (Parliamentarian), Abby Ruggiero ’26 (Vice President) and Oliver Eckloff ’27 (Inclusion Officer)
