Student Senate: Vacation schedules and school improvements

Union’s Student Senate has started its biweekly meetings and is already busy with efforts to improve student life at Union. The topic of discussion is a change to the holiday schedule for the 2022-23 school year. Due to COVID-19, last year’s holiday break was extended from Thanksgiving to the New Year, with school starting a couple of weeks earlier. This year, Union has returned to its previous calendar with separate Thanksgiving and Christmas break. In response, Student Senate sent surveys to the student body to gauge interest in making a more permanent change to the schedule. If the vote carries, the proposal will proceed to the Faculty Senate which creates the calendar for next school year.

Student Senate works with the Student Association (SA) to represent the student body and create changes on campus. The members of the senate meet and discuss issues, solutions and everything in between. Senators can individually or collectively write bills that outline an issue, a solution and research into finances and efforts that are needed to carry out the proposal. Each bill is discussed and voted on by the Senate. When a bill is approved by the Student Senate, it is then taken to the President’s Council where it can be passed or rejected.

I spoke with several senators about the issues they are addressing in the senate. Sallisa Tonkin, who represents Rees Hall 2nd Floor East and West, is interested in making improvements in the operation of the dorm's laundry rooms and changing the use of quarters. Village representative Kevin Jeune has submitted a bill to the senate about how students can be celebrated at graduation with more variety of cords and stoles to recognize achievements and leadership positions, not just academic accomplishments. He is currently working with Kim Canine to implement his proposal.

The Student Senate is also looking for ways to address larger issues at Union. They’re concerned with improving student retention by helping individuals find a worthwhile experience at Union. On Thursday night, they met with Student Success and discussed how faculty can better serve students and ways to improve inclusivity on campus. Kelina Rodgers, SA vice president and Senate Chair, shared that she is looking forward to a good year for Student Senate. “We have a really great team. They came to fight and put in the work.”

By Aubrey Benton