Marineth Sierra – New Year, New Changes, and New Members
Student Senate, a diverse group of individuals with a wide variety of majors and interests but all with the common goal to represent the student body, recently held their First-Year Election, allowing members of the Class of 2018 to select six students to represent them.
Student Senate President and junior Jovanny Nava stated that Senate and leadership was all about “finding opportunities for change…finding what and what does not work. Looking around and examining the whole picture instead of focusing on what you want and being selfish. And being able to admit your failures and mistakes, but accepting it.”
With many issues going around the school, Student Senate tries to speak for the student body by helping push for change.
Issues like the alcohol policy is one of the few things the student government would like to change. “The bookstore sells shot glasses, but if you are under twenty-one you cannot have alcohol or alcohol paraphernalia in your dorm. You cannot wear a shirt with a Budweiser logo on it, nor can your roommate have alcohol if he is the age of twenty-one, but you are not. These are the sort of issues we are trying to address,” says Senate Vice-President Dan Lewis.
There are mixed feelings with this particular subject, but this is one of the reasons why Student Senate was created: to be the voice of the students to assist making change.
With many ideas of modifications throughout the campus, one of their biggest concerns was and still is the dining hall services. Recently, members of Senate were able to change dining times making it a little longer for students to make it on time when breakfast is being served. “I received a few text messages the day of the change, thanking Student Senate for passing the modification. My favorite part of being on Student Senate is knowing that I am able to help make a difference,” said President Nava.
Aside from the dining hall, one of their biggest changes was replacing their organization’s old name,“Student Forum”, with “Student Senate.” President Nava, along with many other Senators at the time, thought it would bring more attention to the group. Surprisingly, alumni, trustees, and faculty were all content with the name change.
With the fall school year around the corner, the senators focused on creating a fresh start. They have created a new image for their organization, designed a new logo, ratified a new constitution, appointed a new advisor, and much more.
With the start of the new academic year, it was time to bring in new Senators from the Class of 2018. First-Year Candidates campaigned from September 20 to 24 with the election held electronically on September 24.
Having high expectations of responsibility, dedication, and positivity, are a few things the President and Vice-President are looking for in the new Senators. Nava and Lewis stated that they were happy with the nine candidates who were running for election and they believed that all of them would make excellent Senators. Both leaders have two years left with Student Senate and want to make sure that their new Senators are able to take on their role as representatives and start becoming leaders in their own way.
With that being said, the Class of 2018 Student Senators are Alexis Foster, Allison McNamara, Madison Pfaff, Marineth Sierra, and Noah Yantis. We here at The Rambler congratulate the new Senators and wish them the best of luck!
Marineth Sierra, from Miami, Florida, is a freshman majoring in Mass Communications with a Sociology minor. Marineth is involved in Student Activities Board, writer for The Rambler, member of the cheerleading squad, and a 2018 senator for Student Senate, along with being a member of several other clubs.
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