The 2023-2024 Luther Student Senate met for their second meeting of the fall semester on September 14, in which a new senate practice was officially recognized and new senators from last spring’s election were introduced.
Senators were given time to formally introduce themselves, explain why they joined the Senate, talk about work they do in other areas around Luther and provide individual goals for the current Senate year. New Student Senate President Jaraad Afroze Ahmed (‘25), who was one of the 17 Luther students elected to various Senate positions last spring, said in his introduction that his primary goal for the year was to create regular shuttle transportation to Rochester, Minnesota from campus. Ahmed also discussed his background of representing Luther’s international students.
“I’m passionate about the whole Luther experience, and trying to broaden my perspectives on the different identities we host in this committee,” Ahmed said.
Student Senate Treasurer Sophie Bierlein (‘24) announced a new Senate procedure that allows senators to form ad hoc committees built around a specific goal. Any member of the senate can propose a committee, and members of these new committees will then work on their respective projects until they feel they have achieved their goal.
Bierlein stated that she did not expect senators to have any trouble recruiting their colleagues to utilize these committees to support each other’s respective pursuits.
“If I want to do an Honor Code revision, say I find three or four people that are passionate about doing that,” Bierlein said. “Senate is about stepping up, and I don’t have any doubt that people will step up.”
The meeting concluded with Ahmed opening the floor for discussion. Diversity Representative for Race and Ethnicity Antonia Laker (‘26) commented on the struggle for non-athlete students to find open gym equipment while Luther sports teams are using the Legends Fitness for Life Center.
“I’ve realized that every single day I go there, there are student-athletes [using equipment] and they take over everything,” Laker said. “[Non-athletes are] basically not allowed to use most of the stuff there, and it’s really difficult to work out, because we don’t have anything to use.”
Senate Secretary Hannah Roesler (‘25) responded to Laker, saying that according to Legends staff, the fitness equipment is reserved for student athletes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Legends is open to non-athletes and community members outside of those times. While Roesler felt that while the conversation “didn’t go very far”, the Legends coaches were willing to listen.
“I have talked to the coaches about the fact that they are taking resources away from non-athletes, and how that’s not fair or right because we deserve equipment too,” Roesler said. “[Legends is] not a very big space, which is the reality. There’s a lot of teams that have to get in there at the same time.”
Some Senate positions are still open, with elections to be held later this fall. Applications for open senate positions closed on September 18. The next Student Senate meeting will be on September 21.
