The newly elected Senate had its first meeting on Sunday, Sept. 16. They approved the new members of the Executive Board and discussed the functions of the different committees within the Senate.
New rules for the Senate include actual enforcement for the rule that should a Senator miss four meetings in one semester, they will be removed from office, as well as making Senate meetings open to the general public. A publicly accessible attendance document which lists every Senator and which meetings they have missed will be available. The Senate’s stated goal for this year is to make better use of the funds allocated to them.
The Senate approved Brandon Stanaway as the Director of Academic Affairs, Adrian Ashley as the Director of Programming, Emma Russell as the Chief of Staff, Rachel McAllister as the Director of Communications and Aaron Finkel as the Chief Strategist for the Executive Board.
The Union Officer for Diversity and Inclusion Zoë Fort and Zosia Buse, the Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees, will be voted on in upcoming Senate meeting.
The majority of the meeting was spent discussing the seven committees of the Senate. The Bylaws Committee’s purpose is to enhance the efficiency of the Senate, to streamline the legislative process, and help the entire Senate adhere to the rules and guidelines set forth in the Union Constitution and the Bylaws.
The Club Support Committee serves the clubs of the Brandeis campus by educating students on the resources available and acting as an outlet for club-advocacy related issues between clubs and the Union Government and/or the Administration.
The COWG Committee works with the COWG (Campus Operations Working Group) and University Services to improve Brandeis facilities. The Health and Safety Committee promotes and improves the well-being and security of students on campus.
The Dining Services Committee coordinates with the University Dining Committee in representing the Student Union when dealing with dining services and other dining-related affairs. The Sustainability Committee investigates, advocates for, and implements policies that help to create a sustainable, environmentally conscious campus.
The Social Justice and Diversity Committee investigates, publicizes, and acts upon student concerns. It also promotes institutional change, and works to encourage interaction and connections among the different groups that make up the student body. The Senate Services and Outreach Committee provides services that the student body believes are lacking and works to create events that will boost campus morale.
The next Senate meeting will be on Sunday, Sept. 23, at the Multi-Purpose Room on the second floor of the Shapiro Campus Center.
