Senate Beat is Waiting for the Minutes
Highlights: CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Student Body President Andrew Happy ‘27 convened Senate Public at 4:12pm, dressed in full Founding Father regalia, as were his fellow senators and treasurers, who each sported a mix of wigs, tricorn hats, and long coats. He reported that he and Appointments Committee (AppComm) Co-Chair Sima Fasihi ‘28 had met with other members of the Student Committee on Academic Policy and Planning (SCAPP).
Student Body Vice President Taylor Barth ‘27 reported that he and Happy will meet with the Presidential Council on Campus Climate on Friday. He also said he had met with the Admission and Financial Aid Committee last Friday. He said that he was going to have a meeting with International Student Services (ISS) on Thursday, October 8. Barth also reported that Sports Services budget has been given to them.
Senator Quinn Capper ‘28 reported that he had missed the Sustainability Committee’s meeting. He was also excited to report from Commons Board that there will be more fish options beside fish and chips on Fridays, including a non-fried option.
Senator and AppComm Co-Chair Stella Greer ‘29 also met with the Commons Board. She added to Capper’s updates, reporting that Commons should always list descriptors in the names of dishes for people with any of the top nine most common food allergies, and that the chefs will also always clarify ingredients if needed. Greer also noted that Commons Board wanted students who are concerned with increased prices at the grill to know that Bon Appétit now uses larger chicken breasts, accounting for some of the price increases. There are also two new gluten free ice cream options from a local creamery available at Marketplace.
Greer then presented AppComm recommendations. Rosemary Ruiz ‘30 for Elections Czar was confirmed 13-0 with one abstention. Di Curinga ‘28 for Wage Review Board was confirmed 12-1 with one abstention. Jackie Rytokoski ‘30 for Judicial Board (J-Board) Secretary was also confirmed. Samuel Wright ‘29 and Samuel Tyler-Hall ‘30 for SCAPP were confirmed 12-0 with 2 abstentions. Sabina Shuman ‘28 for Griffin business manager was confirmed 12-0 with 2 abstentions.
Assistant Treasurer Enzo Lawrence ‘28 reported that the first Reed Union will be on Friday from 11:30am to 1pm in the Trillium Multipurpose Room. The topic is posters: “what, where, when, and how?”
Head Treasurer Bella Reyes ‘27 asked Senate to approve several FinComm allocations: $478 out of $478 requested for Tango Club, $1,315.97 out of $1,315.97 requested for Square Ball, and $933.36 out of $1,292.85 requested for the Print Shoppe. Senate approved the allocations 13-0 with 1 abstention. Reyes also read for Vice Treasurer Al McKee ‘29, who had nothing to report.
Senator and Parliamentarian Manoel Pereira Lopes ‘28 also met with Commons Board, and will meet with ISS this week.
Senator Magdalen Miller ‘29 said that all of her committees are currently in the process of planning meetings, but if you have specific questions, please reach out and she will address them on your behalf.
Senator Maya Gutierrez ‘27 reported that the Library Board scheduled a meeting. The Student Committee on Diversity (SCOD) met with leaders last week. She also met with the new director of the Center for Life Beyond Reed (CLBR). Then, she reported that Title VI, Title IX, and 504 Coordinator Christy Martin is coming back this week, so Senate should be able to meet with her soon. Finally, Gutierrez urged students to vote in the special election, reminding Reedies that polls close the day before fall break.
Senator Sam Kuo ‘28 reported that the first affinity group meeting went very well, and affinity group leaders were very happy with the new identity funding system. This was followed by applause from the audience and Senate for Senator Gutierrez, who designed the system.
Fasihi reported that she had met with the chair of the HUM 110 faculty committee and they discussed the changes to the course semester and the additional changes which are coming down the line. She believes this sets the stage for more collaboration with the Hum 110 faculty committee in the future. AppComm recommended Hanae Furugaki ‘27, Agustin Cespedes Sosa ‘29, Miyu Yoshida ‘29, Shreeom Mishra ‘29, and Patrick Schack ‘28 for J-Board, and they were affirmed 12-0 with two abstentions.
Senate then moved to the business of updates to the Constitution. The constitution has not been changed in an eighth of a century, or about 13 years. The bylaws and practices of the Senate have not been in line with the constitution for a long, long time, Gutierrez said. The two major changes are to article II of the constitution, section III: adding of a third treasurer and officially giving treasurers voting powers. The power outlined in section IV, which gave former presidents the right to continue being present in a non-voting capacity, has been removed. Several typos have also been fixed. “Shall” was also used 45 times in the current constitution, and many of those instances have been replaced with other words in the new version.
Audience members asked for clarification on the changes to former presidents’ powers, and questioned if “shall” was, in fact, overused.
One audience member asked Senate for the special election ballot to include a referendum on more strenuous enforcement of the anti-smoking policy on the GCC patios. Multiple Senators were happy to listen to his concerns and work to address them, but said that since there is an already articulated policy, such a referendum would have little enforceable effect, and therefore will not be added to the special election ballot.
All present members of Senate urged Reedies to “GO VOTEEEEE!!!!!!! IN ALL REGARDS!”
Senate Public was concluded at 4:40pm.