Student Senate met for their weekly meeting Thursday, Feb. 24 at 3:45 p.m. in Hoover 212.
The meeting began with a special order for Director of Leadership and New Student/Family Orientation Stacey Zimmerman.
Zimmerman discussed potential changes they are looking to make during New Student Orientation in the fall and was asking for input in regards to these potential changes.
The first one discussed was moving Campaign from during the NSO to the end of the first full week of the academic year. This would allow for better spacing out of events. Senators showed support for this change.
The other event discussed was Induction that happens typically at the end of NSO, in which all first-year students go to the Dell, the president speaks, there is candle lighting and new students receive the Etown pin. Zimmerman explained that they are looking into creating a similar event to this but it would happen the evening after first-year move in day to allow families to attend the event too.
Concerns that Senators raised about this event included, if a student moves in early in the morning, their family may not want to stay until the evening for the event. So it would be important to have other events throughout the day in order to help want the families to stay into the evening.
In addition to this concern, if some students’ families do not stay for the event, it may lead to a feeling of discomfort for that new student, when others have their families there. It was brought up that this is where the peer mentors could play a role in going to the event to be with students whose families may decide not to attend.
Moving into administrative reports, Director of Housing and Residence Life Jenn Azevedo reported that residence halls will close at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 and reopen at noon on March 6. Students who want to stay for any portion of spring break, must fill out the form via JayWeb. Housing information for the next academic year will be beginning during March.
Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Belonging Darcey Mills reported on the upcoming Ujima Dialogue series on March 9 and 23 in the High Library.
Moving into student comments and announcements, Class of 2024 Secretary Karlie Fromm announced that she is resigning from her position as Parliamentarian.
Class of 2022 Representative Rachel Skwirut encouraged anyone who has a graphing calculator or chemistry goggles that they no longer need to consider donating them to Women in STEM supply banks. This bank would allow for individuals to have access to these calculators or goggles for tests or labs, since many students may only take one class that requires such equipment.
Moving into new business, Executive Senate President Andrew Furman went through a meeting location presentation, in which the pros and cons of meeting in Hoover 212 were discussed along with the pros and cons of potentially changing the meeting room to Gibble.
Furman explained that what sparked this presentation was it was brought to the Executive Cabinets attention that by having the meetings in Hoover 212, there are not many additional seats for outside students and guests who wish to sit in on the meetings.
The meeting rooms were discussed and eventually the conversation was led to discussing how to get Senate more engaged with the student body to help get students to attend Senate meetings. This topic was motioned to be tabled, in which the vote passed.
Student Senate meets weekly on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. in Hoover 212. Meetings are open to all the campus community.
