Student Senate Update as of Feb 25, 2010

With a sense of renewed vitality and increased optimism, Student Senate is excited to push forward with a variety of initiatives and changes this semester.

Before disclosing what’s happening in Senate, I cannot overstate the importance of student engagement in everything that Senate does. If you think we are ineffective, constructively criticize us. If you don’t know what it is that Senate does, ask us. If you have ideas on how Senate should change in the future, tell us. Senate isn’t a governing body at its core; it is a representative one. That’s why we want to make sure to adequately represent your ideas, desires, concerns and complaints. Always feel free to e-mail senate@luther.edu or leave comments on the Student Senate Katie Site. Now on to what’s brewing:

Budget Transparency: Thanks to collaboration between Senate and the administration, we are proud to announce a PowerPoint presentation that highlights what the 2010-2011 annual budget is, but more importantly, it also highlights why it is. Look for the presentation on the Senate Katie site today!

Constitution Changes: There is current discussion about fundamentally changing the Senate constitution. The major changes still in deliberation are as follows: (1) There would be no more class (Junior, Senior, etc.) representatives, rather hall (Towers, Baker, etc.) representatives. This change is largely due to the fact that often people don’t know what class to put themselves in. The residence hall communities are much more defined and seemingly easier to represent. (2) Elections would be held online for a 24-hour window, rather than at a physical location such as the library lawn. (3) A Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representative would be added to help bring the voice of student athletes to Senate. May I remind you that none of these changes have been finalized, rather they are proposed. If you have opinions, concerns or curiosities feel free to look at our Katie Site for more information or e-mail any inquiries to senate@luther.edu. A forum will likely be held this spring to highlight these changes and foster conversation to make sure that the changes we make are what will best serve the student body.

New Sophomore Representative Needed: There is an opening in Student Senate for a Sophomore Representative position. If you are a sophomore and interested in the position, feel free to turn in the application found on Katie, or stop by the Student Life Office upstairs in the Union to pick one up. The deadline for applications is Monday, March 1 at 4:00 p.m. E-mail senate@luther.edu with any questions.

USA Readership Program: As a result of the polling/tabling done last semester, Senate has decided to move forward with a pilot run of the USA Today Readership Program. This program would bring national and regional newspapers to campus Monday through Friday. The pilot will take place March 1-19. The newspaper stands will be set up in the Union. Look for polling stations at the beginning and end of the pilot. Once these polls are complete, Senate will make a recommendation to Community Assembly on whether or not to move forward on the USA Today Readership Program for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Funding Proposals Round II: Just last week, ten different organizations submitted funding proposals to Senate. The proposals ranged from new recycling bins in Ylvisaker to money to bring a dance instructor on campus to work with the Ballroom/Swing Club. Combined, the proposals called for $3,200 in funding. Despite Senate’s budget of $800, more funding is likely to become available. We look forward to once again perfecting this process and discussing whether or not it’s something that should continue in the future years.

Iowa Student Congress: Luther was privileged to be one of 13 accredited post-secondary institutions in Iowa to help with the formation of the Iowa Student Congress. This new state-wide organization will be a networking and lobbying group to fight for support for higher education at the state level. Check Katie for more information about the ISC and about how you could get involved!

These are only some of the exciting things that Senate is looking forward to this semester. As always, we look forward to hearing anyone’s concerns, comments or criticism. Let’s have a great second semester!