The 53rd student senate met for their sixth regular meeting on Tuesday, March 6, to review the projects the Executive Board and student senate committees have been working on.
Student Association (SA) Executive Vice President Eve Stern informed the legislative body about her conversation with the Dean of Students Linda Eaton in which she discussed the aspects of the judicial process on and off campus.
Stern also expressed her frustration with the manager of Sodexo, who has not returned her emails, and she brought up student concerns about the dining services which she plans to discuss during the next Campus Auxiliary Service (CAS) board meeting.
Stern also said she will be having a meeting to discuss the possibility of the LOOP bus making a new stop at a retirement community that may not be directly contributing to funding.
SA President Terrell Coakley expressed his disappointment with the low turnout of straight males who attended the event “(Pause) No Homo” sponsored by Culture Shock Dance Troupe. He encouraged the senators to attend the event TRANSaction on Monday, March 12, at 7 p.m. in Lecture Center 102 and to bring straight males.
“It’s the same thing if we have a program about racism and there is not enough diversity of people who have an issue about race as if we have a program about sexism and there are no males there,” Coakley said. “The most prevalent force is an opposing force and I think the problem has to do a lot with not having straight males around for the conversation.”
SA Executive Vice President of Affairs and Governance Ayanna Thomas informed the senate body about the proposals the committee devised concerning General Education. They focused on revamping liberal arts education and engaging students outside of the classroom.
Thomas said the Constitutional Rules Committee (CRC) is currently focusing on their constitutional convention, which will take place on April 21 and 22. Students will have the chance to suggest changes they’d like to see in the constitution on April 21 and it will be reformed on April 22.
Vice President of Programing Lanesha Bacchus presented to the senate the results of the Student Association Productions (SAP) meeting that took place on Monday night. Bacchus told the senate the contract with Wale currently is in the process of being finalized. There are two seats available on the SAP committee. Bacchus urged senators to promote the position on the committee.
Council of Organizations Chair Shayna Bentley informed the legislative body that a new literary magazine was denied as there already exists many literary magazines that wish to publish student work on campus.
Sen. Josh Simpson presented his research regarding transportation for education majors to their field work. He discovered methods other schools are using to provide transportation and is working on possibly getting those methods into the New Paltz education department.
The senate also discussed its goals list and the progress they have made with the 12 current items. One goal, student representation in the library representation project, was taken off of the list as the library committee is already working on that issue.
The next senate meeting will be held on March 13 in Student Union 418.