Senate Beat is Chopped and Unc (I guess…?)

Senate Public: it’s back, like clockwork, every week. For once, all senators were present!

Student Body President Andreanna Gude ‘26 began the Public with several announcements about recent and upcoming meetings. Last week, they met with Vice President and Dean for Institutional Diversity Phyllis Esposito, alongside Student Body Vice President Lucy Knight-King ‘26. Gude announced a meeting with Student and Campus Life for later in the week and a meeting for the Library Board on November 21. They are also working on scheduling a meeting for the Renn Fayre committee. Importantly, Gude reported that Senate is currently validating the special election results, which should be out soon (but not soon enough for this editing team). 

Senator Karter Stanton ‘26 reported for the Appeals Board that they are currently working on an appeal. Stanton announced upcoming meetings for the week with Title IX and Sexual Health and Relationship Education (SHARE). She is also working on a meeting with Community Safety. Additionally, Stanton is working with Head Treasurer Yuri Garcia ‘27 on the Senate Bylaws. 

Next, Senator and Appointments Committee (AppComm) Co-Chair Sima Fasihi reported an upcoming meeting with the Center for Life Beyond Reed (CLBR) and is scheduling a meeting for the HUM 110 committee. The Student Committee for Academic Policy and Planning (SCAPP) is putting together its survey on the junior qualifying exam for students to give input about quals across departments. Finally, Fasihi reminded students to apply for Treasury positions!

Senator Ren Raskin ‘27 announced that she is a Renn Fayre Czar and has a meeting for the Renn Fayre committee on Friday. She also reiterated Stanton’s report about the ongoing appeal.

Lucy Knight-King corroborated Gude’s report of their meeting with Phyllis Esposito and added that they discussed the graffiti policy. She also mentioned the Student Committee on Diversity (SCOD)’s movie night the past week and the recent article on SCOD in the Quest (!). Knight-King encouraged any students interested in diversity on campus to get involved with SCOD.

Senator Sofie Braunstein ‘28 announced a meeting with Bon Appetit this Friday and passed on the message that Commons has been getting less feedback than usual. If you have thoughts about Commons, let them know through the comment cards by the dish return! She also announced the Swap Shop clothing drive this Friday. Donate your clothes!

Head Treasurer Yuri Garcia ‘27 announced that Treasury is beginning the hiring process for Vice Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer for next semester and requested that students apply if they are interested, or reach out to Treasury if they have any questions. She also shared that Treasury has been preparing a form to gather student opinions on the prospective student body fee increase.

Senator and AppComm Co-Chair Andrew Happy ‘27, Assistant Treasurer Maya Gutierrez ‘27, Senator Manoel Pereira Lopes ‘28, and Senator Justin Sotomayor ‘27 all had no updates. 

Gude spoke again to share that they and Knight-King attended the closing meeting of the accreditation organization last week, and are awaiting the release of the accreditation committee’s official report.

Tara Weling ‘26 asked whether Senate has any responsibility for library hours or any say in the library’s hour policy, to which Gude replied that Senate has not discussed altering library hours, but could have such a conversation at a later date. Stanton further elaborated that such a question would have to be asked at Senate’s Library Board meeting at the end of the month. Knight-King also added that Senate is currently involved in discussions about hours for all buildings, not just the Library, so that all buildings across campus can be locked at certain times to prevent graffiti and enact a lockdown if federal officers are on campus. Weling also shared that an anonymous student made a poll about library quietness policy and asked if Senate had ever discussed that policy in particular. Gude replied that Senate has not done this, but they would be interested in bringing the results of the poll to the Library Board.

After that, the meeting concluded at 4:23pm. Senate Public will be back, like clockwork, next week. You should go. You should ask the senators questions. Don’t stop there, though: you should also write Senate Beat. Save us.