Senate Beat forgor
This week’s Senate meeting was so quiet, you could almost hear the sound of crickets. With nearly no public in attendance, the empty chairs seemed to outnumber even the whispers in the room. Despite the sparse crowd, the meeting kicked off right on time at 4:00pm, as always.
Student Body President Andee Gude ’26 started by highlighting recent efforts in harm reduction and ongoing discussions with the Health and Counseling Center (HCC) to establish a designated grieving space. They also mentioned that emails have been sent to the Presidential Campus Climate Committee regarding educational programs for targeted areas.
Next, Senator Lindsay Worrell ’25 proposed Eliza Turrall ‘27 as Pool Hall Assistant, which was unanimously approved by all eight senators present.
Assistant Treasurer Maya Gutierrez ’27 provided an update on the Student Committee on Academic Planning and Policy (SCAPP), which is currently reviewing how to allocate Martha Darling’s recent donation to the school. Most of the funds are expected to go to residential services, the Center for Life Beyond Reed, and PMP. Gutierrez also covered the new four-week comment system and changes to distribution requirements. Additionally, they reported on behalf of Senator Andrew Sakahara ’27, who met with Bon Appétit to discuss ways to promote the use of eco-containers on campus. The Bylaws Committee also met on Friday, and Senate voted on the proposed changes this week.
Treasurer Lucy Knight-King ’26 shared the FinComm allocations as follows: K-pop Dance Club – $554.39, RRCL – $608.91, Drum Korps – $1,696.94. These funds were unanimously approved.
Baby Money Yuri Garcia ’27 informed the Senate that a meeting with their webmaster led to several improvements to ensure all website information is up to date. Garcia also mentioned that the Reactor Committee will meet on Wednesday; although Garcia will be unable to attend, they will review the meeting minutes.
Senator Catherine Hoyle ’25 gave an update on campus safety, noting that a camera installed at the top of the PAB to monitor Trillium construction is no longer operational and is difficult to remove due to its location. Hoyle also shared that the Community for Accessibility Resources and Disability Support (CARDS) is tabling this week, with more updates expected after fall break.
Senator Lina Eid ’26 announced that winter and spring housing applications will be opening soon, and ResLife is working on updating the housing portal for easier navigation. Senator Andrew Happy ’27 added that ResLife is looking for ways to address the imbalance between the number of first-year students and available housing, as more dorms were reserved for first years, leaving vacancies. SCAPP is also discussing the introduction of “how to read” workshops for HUM 110 and training for faculty to create a more equitable environment for the next semester.
Senator Bella Moore ’26 proposed Sàndor Jonas ‘28 as Webmaster, which was also unanimously approved.
President Gude then announced that they will be chairing the Renn Fayre Committee, with a meeting to be scheduled soon.
Senator Jefferson Ratliff ’25 concluded the meeting by reporting on the Climate Assessment Committee’s discussion around the vandalism of the GCC Palestine memorial. Ongoing discussions are also taking place regarding Title IX and bias reviews, as well as concerns about potential tensions on campus with the upcoming election. Hoyle added that Facilities and the CSOs will be checking the lights around Vollum and Eliot Hall to ensure they are operational again.
Senate Public meets every Monday at 4:00pm in the Student Union (SU).