As you may have heard, if Congress does not act by July 1, interest rates on federally subsidized loans will double from 3.4% to 6.8%. In this age of $40,000 tuition we can’t afford to have interest rates unexpectedly increasing, so SA Government is speaking up. SA Senator Vanessa Sanchez and I met with Rep. Kathy Hochul last week to rally her support, and we joined a conference call with President Obama and senior leaders this week to discuss the issue. I would like to extend gratitude to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jonathan Burdick for his help in arranging meetings and advocating on this issue as well. You can read more about my stance in our Open Letter on Student Debt, and show your support for the cause by posting on Facebook, tweeting #DontDoubleMyRates, and contacting your Representative and Senators.
There will not be a Senate meeting tomorrow, April 23. The next and final Senate meeting of this semester will take place Monday, April 30 in the Gowen room.
We encourage you to contact us on our feedback page in the meantime.
At the Senate Meeting of April 9, 2012, President Halpern provided updates on the bus line changes for next year. He states that he met with Dean Feldman to discuss concerns of the previously mentioned plans, and they are creating the “Orange Line.” Additionally, Halpern states that they are looking into extending Safe Rides to take students to their homes off campus within a three mile radius. Chair Donnelly provided updates on the 2012 Spring Elections. Furthermore, the Senate approved constitution changes to SAVVY and NJR. Treasurer Eckert presented the budget for the FY2012-2013 and it was approved by the Senate.
Read the minutes or view the archive
At the Senate Meeting of April 2, 2012, Czekai served as the Proxy Speaker and Arastu served as the Proxy Deputy Speaker. President Halpern and Vice President Bhatia state that they would like to open up a fund that would be specifically for groups to co-sponsor and collaborate with organizations that they have not previously worked with. Halpern and Bhatia seek feedback from the Senate. Duncan Graham (2015), Timothy Kuznetsov (2014), and Hanna Schwartzbaum (2015) were confirmed to serve as ACJC Justices. Lastly, the Senate approved constitution changes to Vocal Point and UR Rock Climbing and the Senate derecognized Japan Matsuri.
Read the minutes or view the archive
It’s that time of year again — the Senate will select next year’s Speaker and Deputy Speaker at our upcoming meeting on Monday, April 16 at 9 p.m. in the Gowen Room of Wilson Commons.
Both positions may be filled internally or by members of the student body at-large, and both play a crucial role in the functions of Senate and student government. The Speaker is responsible for facilitating efficient meetings, overseeing the success of Senate committees, serving as the official representative of the Senate to the university administration, and working alongside the SA President and ACJC Chief Justice to advocate on behalf of the student body. The Deputy Speaker is responsible for assisting the Speaker in these capacities by coordinating the logistics of meetings, taking the official Senate minutes, and serving as the Speaker’s proxy in his or her absence.
During the selection process, candidates are expected to make opening remarks to the Senate and will be interviewed by the Senators in absence of the other candidates. Selections will be made that evening, and results will be announced during the meeting.
If you have questions about either position, please feel free to contact Dan Cohn, current Speaker of the Senate, at daniel.cohn@rochester.edu or Alina Czekai, current Deputy Speaker of the Senate, at aczekai@u.rochester.edu.
Deans Feldman and Lennie were in attendance at the Senate Meeting of March 26, 2012 and they spoke on the upcoming changes in transportation and the increased tuition. Senators and students from the gallery provided feedback and engaged in discussion. Elections Chair Donnelly provided updates on the upcoming SA Elections and she encouraged everyone to spread word to their peers. The Senate approved constitution changes to Partners in Reading and the Muslim Students’ Association. Lakshmi Miller-Vedam and Reid DesRuisseaux were approved to serve as Accountants on the Appropriations Committee. Additionally, the Senate approved the winners of the Professor of the Year and Student Life Advocate of the Year Awards. Finally, Senator Macias was selected to serve on the ACJC Selections Task Force.
Read the minutes or view the archive
At the Senate Meeting of March 5, 2012, Palida Noor from CAB presented updates to Dandelion Day in Open Forum. Also, a member from the gallery discussed concerns regarding the Weapons Policy and students participated in a thoughtful discussion regarding transparency. Humma Sheikh was approved to serve as a Class of 2015 Senator. Senators Patel, Sanchez, and Sobolewski were approved to serve on the ACJC selections task force. Additionally, the bylaws were amended to indicate that a Senator may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
Read the minutes or view the archive
The Board of Trustees approved a tuition increase of 4.5% for next year. At tomorrow’s Senate meeting, Monday, March 26th, Deans Feldman and Lennie will come to discuss tuition and fees for next year and field questions. Senate meetings are at 9:00 p.m. in the Gowen Room of Wilson Commons. Come and voice your concerns!
There will be no Senate meeting today, Monday, January 19th. Senate meetings are scheduled to resume next Monday. Anybody with a concern for Open Forum is encouraged to contact us or join us at next week’s meeting. Thank you!
At the Senate Meeting of February 27, 2012, President Halpern introduced changes to the Student Code of Conduct regarding the knife policy. He also announced that the Dance Department will no longer be having final examination performances on Dandelion Day so these students can partake in the activities of the day. Vice President Bhatia discussed diversity on campus and proposed upcoming projects that have been introduced at the College Diversity Roundtable. The Senate approved several individuals to serve on the Awards Selection Task Force. Senator Gaona (2015) was removed from the Students’ Association Senate.
Read the minutes or view the archive
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