Senate Beat is Breaking the Fourth Wall
This week’s Senate Public saw various committees, all of which are tasked with advocating for the student body to a vast array of campus institutions, discussing their meetings, and ended with the resignation announcement of Senator Bridger Alaga ‘26.
Senator Lindsay Worrell ‘25 opened the meeting (before having to run to a committee appointment) by appointing Ezra Frolich ‘28 as Election Czar. Later in the meeting, Senator Bella Moore ‘26 appointed Auden Friedman ‘25 and Esmeé Silverman ‘25 to the Appeals Board.
Senator Maya Gutierrez ‘27 then reported announcements for the Committee for Academic Planning and Policy (CAPP), saying “there is not a lot of consistency between professors on the ‘D’ grade,” before adding that efforts to address this problem were opening up wider conversations on grade distribution. The nature and outcome of these conversations wait to be seen.
Head Treasurer Lucy Knight-King ‘26 then reported on Treasury allocations. This week’s largest round of allocations was just over $1,400 to the Black Student Union and $1,400 to the Latinx Student Union.
President Andee Gude ‘26, in addition to clarifying how the Senate will handle having a conflicting committee meeting during Senate Public, also remarked that she had attended the President’s — that is, Audrey Bilger’s — Council on Campus Climate, and will be attending the Prevention and Education subcommittee of that council.
Vice President Jefferson Ratliff ‘25 then announced that Renn Fayre Czar applications are opening, and encouraged students to apply! The haunted laughter of former czar Gude met this.
Senators Yuri Garcia ‘27 and Andrew Sakahara ‘27 reported that they had begun introductory meetings with some of their campus partners and committees, but were still waiting to meet with others.
Senator Catherine Hoyle ‘25 announced that Community Accessibility Resources and Disability Services (CARDS) meetings will be held on Wednesdays from 4:15 pm–5:15 pm.
Senator Lina Eid ‘26 reported a plan to announce Senate events on the International Student Services (ISS) newsletter and to announce ISS events that are open to the public on the Senate newsletter. Further, she expressed a desire to sponsor a Mid-Autumn Festival with Chinese eHouse. She also advertised weekly international cafes, which have recently begun.
Senator Andrew Happy ‘26 announced, alongside Senator Eid, a plan to encourage Residence Life (Res Life) to update the pictures of residence halls “so that people can know what their rooms look like” prior to moving in. Senator Happy also announced, after discussing the results of the Hum 110 survey administered by the Student Committee on Academic Policy and Planning (SCAPP) with Hum 110 chair Christian Kroll, the upcoming establishment of a “How to Read” workshop, either to be held during O-Week or the start of the semester. Senator Happy stated that the goal of this workshop was to decrease unequal burdens and “introduce skills that can help them [students] with this or upper-level classes as well.”
Senator Happy closed the meeting by announcing that Bridger Alaga had resigned, and that his seat will be filled during a special election to come.