Students
Elect New Senate
By
Rachel Decker
719
votes, placed by approximately 25% of the student body, put ten
new student senators into office last week.
According to student senate bylaws normally only eight new senators
are elected in the fall, yet two more were required this year to
replace one senator studying abroad and another who resigned.
New senators include Ary Amerikaner, Siddharth Dugar, Emily Jendrek,
Andrea Leung, Matthew Pantell, Dazlynn Pinkston, Daniel Rodriguez,
Quammie Semper and Harper Tobin.
Junior Rebecca Ganetzky was re-elected; students Andrena Hawkins,
Alania Fotiu-Wojitowitz, Tom Simchak, Matthew Epstein, and Jesse
Kanson-Benanav are all returning for their second term.
The Senate, composed of fifteen members from all four classes, meets
every Sunday evening for three hours to discuss College affairs
and policies and come to a decision about what the students as a
whole would like to see amended.
"It’s going to be a good year this year," said Jesse
Kanson-Benanav, Communications Director and Class of ’03 senate
member.
"We’ve got a lot of enthusiastic people," he added.
This Sunday the senate is discussing the possibility of holding
a referendum concerning recycling assistance. There is a push to
increase the amount of recycled paper used on campus, especially
by the CIT Department.
Another big issue the senate hopes to act on this year is greater
inclusion of student input in different faculty committees that
have a large effect on the academic policies of the College.
The Senate hopes to gain representation in the EPPC, which continues
to discuss the possible elimination of the credit/no entry system.
Addressing the dissatisfaction with the dining plan of much of the
student body is another priority for the senate this year.
Sophomore senate member Andrena Hawkins stated, "I think the
senate is going to have an impact on this school probably even exceeding
that of what it has in the past because we are far from complacent
with the school the way it is."
"I feel that this is an important time to be part of senate
because of the diversity of issues that students are facing on campus,"
said International student and junior senator Siddharth Dugar. "The
only way to address these issues is to appoint committed students
to carious committees and make sure their voices are heard."
"We would also like to see better communication between students
and to the students," said Kanson-Benanav.
Students
with concerns that they would like to bring to the attention of
the senate can e-mail them to the address osenate@oberlin.edu.
Senate
meetings, which take place from 7-10 p.m. every Sunday in Wilder
222, are also open to the public. |