The semester’s fourth Council of Organizations meeting was held on Monday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union (SU) room 62/63.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Jonathan Espinosa was there to talk about the upcoming Student Association (SA) elections. Espinosa announced that anyone interested in running for a seat on the student senate had about a week to fill out an application, which are due by Nov. 19 to the SA office in the SU room 419.
“It’s my duty as vice president of academic affairs and governance to get these forms out,” he said.
Espinosa said the Senate Candidacy Form can be printed out online at newpaltzsa.com, and once submitted applicants can print out flyers and start campaigning. Elections will take place on Dec. 10, 11 and 12.
Espinosa referenced the expiring contract between Campus Auxiliary Services and Sodexo, and the absence of student input in the decision to reset print quotas for free, as reasons students should run for senate. Espinosa said SA is the perfect place for students to voice their concerns.
Espinosa said senators would be devoting at least five hours to SA weekly — SA meetings generally last for one to two hours and senators are required to complete weekly two-hour long office hours. Senators must also serve on two committees, he said. Espinosa said the students running for senate must have a 2.0 or higher GPA and that transfer students with no current GPA can still apply based on their GPA upon entering New Paltz.
Council Chair Rose Faber said all students should have received an email regarding the student senate elections, but can contact her if they have any questions.
Next on the agenda were the nominations to elect Student Association Productions (SAP) executive board members. Elizabeth Pinto, Brittany Jordan, Rachel Toy, and Natalie Skoblow nominated themselves. Faber said SAP meetings take place on Tuesdays in SU 419.
Kristine Weinheimer from Student Activities and Union Services spoke to the group next about filling out Co-Curricular Transcript forms. She encouraged representative to sign their clubs up, and then visit my.newpaltz.edu where they could add points, which would be tallied on the students’ transcripts. The Co-Curricular Transcript is a “web-based, official document where you can list out-of classroom experiences occurring on campus at New Paltz,” according to Weinheimer.
At the next meeting on Nov. 26, President Donald Christian will discuss Park Point, and at the last council meeting of the semester Faber said, they will be going over the senate elections.