In their Oct. 24 meeting, the senate voted by acclamation in favor of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS), an organization dedicated to providing a supportive environment for unrepresented pre-med students. This was a club constitution change unanimously agreed upon by the senate.
Additionally, the senate approved two clubs. Nai Qashou ’22 served as a representative of the Brandeis Network of Arab Students (BNAS). BNAS serves as a network for Arab students at Brandeis, offering a space for community members to gather and have open discussions about their unique cultures, and how they connect to different diasporas. Ali Albalakhi ’22, a second BNAS representative, spoke about their plan to host “country spotlights,” where people from different Arab nations would have the opportunity to present their country and culture. The club would also like to connect with Arab influences and plan events that “amplify the voices [and experiences] of Arab Americans.”
The senate voted by acclimation and unanimously approved the club.
Alex Ross ’22 and Jesse Rips ’22, representatives of the Fireside Theater Company, also presented their club to the union. Ross and Rips explained that the club produces student and alumni-written shows, releasing an online form where aspiring producers can submit their scripts and scores for review. Committed to uplifting Brandeisian voices, Ross and Rips emphasized that the Fireside Theater Company would greatly “enrich the campus.”
Their first planned production, “Our Day Will Come,” which is set in 1970s Northern Ireland, will be on Dec. 2 through Dec. 5.
When asked by the senate about what inspired them to start their club, Ross stated that it was created on the shoulders of the pandemic, as well as the challenges it created for performers and aspiring performers.
The club name was fashioned by Ross and Rips. They “wanted to do something that symbolizes new work,” “igniting new works and creativity” and alluding to the creative comfort of writing beside a fire.
Following the presentation, the senate had a discussion over whether to approve the club. Joseph Coles spoke first, mentioning that with so many other theater clubs on campus, having yet another one would be redundant. Other senators, however, came to Fireside’s defense, arguing that it provides students with more opportunities to join niche clubs, a campus-enriching fact that outweighs any redundancies. In the end, the senate voted to pass the motion.
The Student Union Executive Board announced that the turkey shuttle service, provided by the university, will resume operations this semester. The shuttle will run to and from Logan Airport, and it will even go as far as New York City and New Jersey.
The Student Union announced that Midnight Buffet will be on Dec 8. This is one of the biggest student union events of the semester.
The Student Union will be hosting a special election for secretary and Allocations Board positions. This comes on the heels of the impeachment of former Secretary of the Student Union, James Feng ’22.
In the Senate Committee Chair reports, Senator Nick Kanan ’23 reported on the development of a contact chain between the senate and CAs. Kanan is currently in touch with Village Quad’s CAs, having productive discussions about student affairs and community living in general, seeking to enrich and refine the Brandeis living experience.
