On Wednesday Oct. 7, the Undergraduate Student Senate held its first open forum of the year to field concerns from Geneseo students. This semester, Student Senate meets exclusively on Wednesday at 8 p.m., alternating each week, to host either a general assembly or committee meeting.
Open forum provides students with a five-minute long opportunity to anonymously address the general assembly about a student concern they would like to see resolved. Beginning this semester, the first general assembly meeting of each month is dedicated to open forum.
“It’s just to allow for more focus on individual concerns that students bring to the table and make it easier and more efficient for multiple committees to collaborate on a proposal that pertains to both of them,” Laura Benjamin, chair of Student Senate and Student Association vice president, said in regard to the structural change.
The only concern mentioned at the forum regarded meeting the needs of students who need to stay on campus post-Thanksgiving break. The student was concerned that, if students needed to stay on-campus, there is no way for them to cancel their meal and remain in the residence halls.
Benjamin assigned the concern to the Campus and Residence Life Committee, chaired by Maggie Hewitt. Given the scope and nature of the concern, the Student Senate Executive Committee is collaborating with the Student Association Executive Committee in order to find a solution.
“The S.A. Executive Committee and Senate Executive Committee are working on it together; the solution to this problem is uncertain and we’re working on getting more information on the concern,” Benjamin said.
At the first meeting, on Sept. 23., a student expressed their concern about how professors are not given a limit on how much a student can spend on textbooks. The student said that this becomes especially problematic when students are awaiting financial aid, so they must pay for often-expensive class materials out of pocket.
The Academic Rights and Advancements Committee and the Student Rights and Affairs Committee were charged with this concern, chaired by Sabrina Schumacher and Danielle Crowley, respectively. As it stands, the committee is currently working on gathering student opinions through a survey.
“I think the proposal is coming along well, my committee and I have done a lot of research that has prepared us to hopefully take action on it. The Google form we just sent out I think will really help us get a handle on how rising textbook costs are affecting the Geneseo Community,” Crowley said.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, chaired by Kelsey Dux, is following up on resolutions passed last year to ensure their proper and timely execution, reflected in campus policy. Currently, the committee is working to implement resolution #10-1920, which called for extending campus bus service for on-and-off campus residents.
“Since so many students are staying for the break, we want to make sure they can get to and from Walmart. We also plan on starting to follow-up on the accessibility of menstrual products soon,” Dux said.
In regard to the accessibility of menstrual products, Dux referred to Resolution #12-1920, also passed last semester, which called for menstrual products to be widely available in all restrooms across campus.
In addition to Open Forum, Student Senate released the Box of Issues, a Google form where students can submit any concerns they would like to see addressed by the College. They can choose to remain anonymous and receive follow-up emails regarding the progress of any submissions. All concerns are presented at the next Open Forum by a member of Student Senate’s Executive Committee.
“I want the student body and Senate to have a more open relationship. I want all students to feel like they can voice their concerns,” Benjamin said.