An Open Letter to the Student Body

To The Luther College Student Body,

I hope that you all had a relaxing and enjoyable January Break as well as a productive J-term. We are now starting spring semester. For some of us it’s the last semester here at Luther for others only the second, but for all of us it is a new opportunity to make Luther a better place. Student Senate has accomplished many things last semester and we’re eager to do more this spring.

In coordination with PRIDE, Residence Life, the Campus Betterment Committee and the school administration Senate helped get the passage of a brand new housing option which will be made available to students starting this upcoming school year. Senate, in conjunction with concerned students, has begun work and will continue to work on making Luther College more handicapped accessible. Senate along with SAC was able to handout over $2,000 to various organizations and individuals around campus through Leadership Funding. These funds go towards organizing events, attending conferences, and implementing other leadership activities. Senate was able to roll out a new communications strategy to help students better connect with the Senate via Facebook, Twitter and through utilizing our Senate Spotlight outside the Caf. In addition, Senate held an open forum as well as a Meet Your Senator event.

I am personally very proud of what Senate accomplished in the Fall Semester. However, I also recognize that there is a great deal of work left to be done. In February Senate will work with the Honor Council, the Campus Betterment Committee, and members of the school administration to finalize a new Honor Code. While Senate finalized the new Honor Code last year there are still some concerns among the faculty on the Honor Code. Members of the Senate on the Campus Betterment Committee are working with other members of the committee to meet those concerns and ensure the academic integrity of this institution. Any changes in the Honor Code will need to again pass the Senate before the April elections and we hope to have a final version of the Honor Code by early March. Students will be asked to vote yes or no on the Honor System during the spring elections.
We will begin the spring round of leadership funding early in February. Senate will also begin working on getting ready for the April Student Senate and Honor Council elections.

In March Student Senate will focus on civility around campus. Luther is an amazing place where many people from all walks of life come to learn and live. However, sometimes this leads to tension. Senate is interested in ensuring that our campus remains a civil place where all viewpoints and lifestyles are respected. We will be holding an open forum this month on campus civility and hope to see many students there.

In April Student Senate will be looking into the tenure process in the hopes of making it a better process with more student input. In addition Student Senate and Honor Council Elections will be held in late April. I hope that all students interested in serving their fellow students and interested in making Luther a better place will seriously consider running for Student Senate. In addition, to these large items Student Senate will continue to work on many of the smaller issues that our brought to our attention by students.

The things we aim to accomplish are varied, some large, some small. Some will affect Luther for years to come; some will only impact the here and now. However, we hope that the student body will continue to work with Senate on these initiatives and others. Senate is dedicated to working for the students and making Luther a better place.

Jonathan Grieder
President of Luther College Student Senate