Senate Beat is Never Dropping Tempeh
Highlights and action items: Senator Renata Akeed ‘28 resigns. Commons holds firm. Residential College Implementation is chugging along. Election Czar and J-Board members hired. Reed Union today at 3:30pm in Kaul!
After last week’s themed Public on the Student Body Fee, Monday’s Senate Public proved equally eventful. Student Body President Andee Gude ‘26 began the meeting by welcoming everyone and giving the not-atypical announcement that most of their reports had to do with communication. In their meetings with Student and Campus Life, they talked about methods of financially supporting students who are on campus over the summer, including conversations about how paying rent can be a cost barrier for students. Gude also spoke about their work with the Student Basic Need Initiative, which connects students with resources to meet their needs, such as with the SNAP pre-eligibility screening now available in SB Info. Gude has put the Basic Need Initiative in touch with the Low-Income and First-Generation College Student Kollectiv and hopes for a fruitful partnership in the future. Gude also announced their and Vice President Lucy Knight-King ‘26’s plans to meet with the newly-elected Election Czar on Tuesday, September 23, to get the ball rolling on the special election for seats in Senate and (of particular interest to anyone reading this) the Quest.
Gude reported that Senator Ren Raskin ‘27, who was absent, had no new reports. They then conveyed the reports for the absent Senator and Appointments Committee (AppComm) Co-Chair Sima Fasihi ‘28. Fasihi met with Academic Support Services about changes to Hum 110, as well as with the Student Committee on Diversity (SCOD), and has a meeting with the Title IX Office for this Friday, September 26.
Next, Lucy Knight-King reported that she missed the alumni board meeting, as duty called in the form of the beloved and highly necessary Funding Hell. She also reported an upcoming meeting for the Legislation Committee. Knight-King plugged the new SCOD Instagram (@reedscod), where they will promote their resources and events—drop a follow!
Senator Sofie Braunstein ‘28 announced upcoming meetings with Dean of Students Chris Toutain for the Accessibility Committee soon, and the Center for Life Beyond Reed (CLBR) next month. As for the Commons Committee, Braunstein and Senator Manoel Pereira Lopes ‘28 met with Commons to give an update on the long-standing Tempehgate debacle: much to the chagrin of many in the Commons comment board, tempeh isn’t going anywhere because it’s a soy alternative protein. Braunstein also met with the Sustainability Committee, which will meet again soon, and reported an upcoming intro meeting for the comparatively new Stop Hazing Committee.
Braunstein reminded students of the Reed Union happening this Friday, September 26, from 3:30 to 5:00pm in Kaul Auditorium. The Union will discuss the Honor Principle and honor at Reed.
Manoel Pereira Lopes added more about his meeting for the Commons Committee: Commons wants feedback on the new grab and go system, and responded to the existing feedback on price increases from last year to say that there is nothing they can do.
Head Treasurer Yuri Garcia ‘27 reported that clubs would be hearing back about Funding Hell results on Tuesday, September 23—which they did. Garcia reported for Finance Committee (FinComm) that SCOD requested $426.95, all of which was allocated. This motion passed with one abstention.
Additionally, Garcia reported that Senate was reviewing the bylaws and would meet on Wednesday, and she had another upcoming meeting for Occupational Health and Safety and the Reactor.
Filling out the rest of Treasury, neither Vice Treasurer Jules Flynn ‘27 nor Assistant Treasurer Maya Gutierrez ‘27 had anything to report.
At last, news! Senator and AppComm Co-Chair Andrew Happy ‘27 gave the results of the first AppComm session. Izzie Chen ‘29 was hired as both Election Czar and J-Board Secretary. Sima Fasihi was hired as SU Assistant Manager. Luna McNeff Yee ‘28, Yulin Ming ‘28, and Sara Tapal ‘27 were hired as J-Board members. All of the hires were approved without opposition.
Happy continued by explaining that the Residential College Implementation Committee has been planning research on current groups at Reed. He reported on his work with Academic Support Services to get qualitative and quantitative feedback on quals from surveys, and wants to discuss Hum 110 and advising in future meetings. (Here’s my qualitative feedback: the qual would be a lot better if this particular Quest editor did not have to write Senate Beat at the same time as their qual. Somebody please take Senate Beat!) Happy added that they are investigating how academic departments could potentially cover the costs of summer residences for low-SES students.
Senator Karter Stanton ‘26 announced many future meetings for the next two weeks, including one with Sexual Health, Advocacy, and Relationship Education (SHARE) once their liaison returns in October.
Then-Senator Renata Akeed ‘28 closed the meeting by announcing their resignation. Their resignation statement can be found on page (1).
On that note, Senate Public ended at 4:28pm. The next Public will be on Monday, September 29, at 4:10pm in the SU. You can go keep the senators company. Even better, you can report on what happens for Senate Beat so I don’t have to. Please?
