The Student Government Association (SGA) approved a bylaw describing the position of the senator of science at its meeting last week.
The new bylaw, read by Eric Pasternack, vice president of legal and governmental affairs, outlines the duties and responsibilities of a senator of science in SGA.
While the SGA constitution outlines the duties of other senate positions, the senator of science position was overlooked. This bill, Pasternack said, fixes that issue.
According to the bill, a senator of science should "represent the best interests of the students of the School of Science" and "meet with the Dean of the School of Science" as well as maintain contact with student organizations affiliated with the school.
The bill passed by a voice vote without opposition.
Stefanie Nieves, alternate student trustee, announced that there were 13 candidates running for the 12 open seats in SGA. Campaigning began Friday after the mandatory meeting at SGA's office to go over campaigning rules. All of the candidates will also attend today's meeting before elections occur on Oct. 4 and 5 in Brower Student Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Annelise Catanzaro, student trustee, announced that the first Board of Trustees meeting is approaching, where Nieves will be sworn in as alternate student trustee and Catanzaro will be able to vote for the first time.
She also announced that SGA wants to attend the Conference on Student Government Associations at Texas A&M University from Feb. 22 to 25. She said SGA has room to take eight delegates and she would "try to keep it for students who can contribute next year."
Catanzaro also discussed the College Diplomacy program that SGA is introducing this year.
"It's like a liaison program with a spin," Catanzaro said. "A liaison is like an associate member but there are less demands."
She said the liaison would heighten awareness of information about what's going on in the College as well as serve as a way to distribute surveys to organizations for feedback.
With regard to the ongoing Sodexho issues, Joanna Holguin, senator-at-large, reported that Sodexho will provide SGA with the results of a survey conducted last year on the Carte Blanche program today.
She also said much of the crowding problem in Eickoff was due to the new scheduling grid leaving many students free during certain times for meals.
Holguin said that Sodexho is working on having an open forum for students to voice concerns that were cut short by time constraints at the last SGA meeting.
Thea Schoenberg, vice president of Student Services, announced that her committee is working on distributing questionnaires to students to find out what the students' concerns are.
"Concerns are out there but students aren't necessarily coming to us," Schoenberg said.
Lauren LeBano, vice president of Academic Affairs, said the College was working on evaluating its summer programs and was looking for student input on summer study abroad programs, as well as summer classes at the College.
