Student Senate met November 9 to discuss and affirm the appointments of the new Communications Team Leader, Academic Team Leader and Campus Betterment Team Leader. Director of Campus Safety and Security Bob Palmer (‘91) also joined the meeting to discuss the relationship between Campus Safety and the student body.
President Jaraad Afroze Ahmed (‘25) announced to the General Senate that current Communications Team Leader Solvei Christopherson (‘25) and Academic Team Leader Vincent Buchner (‘25) would not be returning to their executive positions for the spring semester. Wellness Representative Sidney Miller (‘24) will also not be returning to her position.
The Senate Executive Board decided that current Junior Class Representative Chloe Rozga (‘25) would be appointed to Communications Team Leader and that current Campus Betterment Team Leader Rachel Jorgensen (‘26) would be appointed to Academic Team Leader. The General Senate voted to affirm both appointments.
This shift in positions left the Campus Betterment Team Leader position, an executive position, empty. The position is in charge of proposing projects to better the Luther campus and coordinating Senate’s ad hoc committees. Ahmed opened the position to any interested Senators from the General Senate. Current Sophomore Class Representative Julia Da Silva (‘26) volunteered for the position. Da Silva highlighted her connections across campus when asked to explain why she would be good for the position.
“I have quite a few friends in the arts department and music,” Da Silva said. “I am also on the tennis team, so I do a lot on the sports side of campus. Also [I am] international and know a lot of international [students]. I know a little bit about many groups on campus.”
Da Silva was affirmed as Campus Betterment Leader by the General Senate. The Miller Hall Representative, Junior Class Representative and Sophomore Class Representative positions are currently open. Ahmed said that a nomination form would be sent out to the student body in the coming weeks.
To conclude the meeting, Palmer spoke to the Senate, discussing his goals and plans as the Director of Campus Safety and Security. This was his first time addressing the Senate since Palmer started full time in the position on January 1, 2023. His connection to Senate began with an email exchange with Secretary Hannah Roesler (‘25) about a negative experience a student had while having a campus responder jumpstart their car. In response, Palmer suggested the implementation of a car fitness program.
“What I want to do is start a program where the week before holiday breaks, we actually have a car fitness day or few days,” Palmer said. “Here is a great opportunity if the week before a holiday we get people to go out and start their cars, make sure they’re actually running, come down to Kwik Star, and learn how to pump up your tires. The idea there is I don’t want my people to have to start 30 cars the day before Thanksgiving, and you guys don’t want to have to be waiting for an hour and a half before you go for home.”
Palmer acknowledged the sometimes tense relationship students have with Campus Safety in their current role as “security guards” and explained what he is doing to change this relationship. The security guards are becoming campus responders. By Christmas, Palmer’s campus responders will be changing uniforms from the all-black jacket and pants they are currently wearing to high visibility jackets and green pants. Palmer explained what he sees the role of campus responder encompassing.
“The space between where law enforcement is needed and where the community kind of takes care of itself, there’s that area right in between, and that’s where we kind of exist,” Palmer said. “We’re here to unlock doors. We’re here if you have too much to drink to get you to the hospital or at least organize you getting to the hospital. We’re here for the common good of the campus. The role of my people is transitioning from security guard to what’s known as campus responder.”
Student Senate will meet again on November 16 at 9:45 a.m. in the Mott Room of the Dahl Centennial Union.
