Student Senate considers funding request

Last Monday marked the third Student Senate meeting of the spring semester.  

Continuing a promise from last week to fill four seats on the senate Constitutional Court, Chief Justice Nathan Cronin swore another in on Monday.

Carle Stahl, Sophomore of Fremont, was selected for the position. She, like the previous three justices sworn in, is majoring in criminal justice.  

In another matter, Vice President Abby Klammer commended the Student Senate-funded care packages project for quarantined students.  

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about them, so I think it’s good that we’re continuing to do those,” Klammer said. 

“Just ask around to people you know if there is anything they would like to see in them,” she said to the senate.  

The Activity Fee Board approved $60.85 for Sigma Tau Delta’s open mic night which occurred last semester. As a result, student Senate the approved the amount.  

The Campus Improvement Committee, headed by Laura Clay, Senator of Andrew’s Hall, continues to plan for her campus recycling initiative.  Additionally, Clay has been in contact with library staff about possibly opening the building on Saturdays.

“I have talked to some library staff about that, and they suggest doing a survey and sending that to students to see how many would be interested in having it open to see if it would be worth it,” Clay said.  

Kelsey Crock, EHPCPSW department senator, said during her senator report that the Campus Facilities, Safety, and American Disabilities Act Compliance Committee met on Jan. 27 and discussed a few safety concerns on campus. 

“One of the big things they talked about was the construction over by Burk. and possibly closing down that road and not making it a one-way,” Crock said.  

Chapin Street has been a one-way road since early in the construction process of the Math and Science Building when construction fence was extended half-way across the road.  

In another matter, Liberal Arts Senator Olivia Bryant and CSC Marketing Coordinator Tena Cook promoted CSC’s free Merit webpage.  

“It’s a great way to build a resume for yourself,” Bryant said. “One of the awesome things about Merit is that when you do something on campus, you’ll receive what’s called an achievement.” 

These achievements, according to Bryant, are sent to student emails, media outlets, elected officials, parents and former high schools.  

“You’re in more places than you may realize when you do something on campus,” she said.

“It really gives your online presence some validity,” Cook said. 

Communication Professor Shaunda French-Collins also joined the meeting, via Zoom, to lobby the senate for $1750 in funding for an upcoming virtual conference available to her department’s students.  

“It’s a chance for communication marketing and advertising and graphic design students to meet professionals. Typically, the conference happens in Omaha. This year it will be virtual,” French-Collins said.

“We figured with it being virtual, we should reach out to as many students in the program as possible due to the feasibility,” she said. 

That feasibility will cost $70 per student to attend the virtual event.

“It’s about five to six hours a day. Students will hear from a wide range of professionals and they also have the chance to have their own resumes and professional portfolios reviewed,” she said.  

The event will take place March 1-2. The $1750 allocation request must be approved by AFB before senate votes to approve or reject the funding request.  

In other news: 

> Senate had $27, 549. 66 in unallocated funds. 

> Senate had $30,000. 00 in unallocated trip funds. 

> A Kent Hall and liberal arts senator position remains available.