New senators introduced

Dye misses meeting, OhioPIRG asks for approval of petition

Newly elected senators attended their first Student Senate meeting last Sunday. Throughout the meeting, senators voted on internal and external committee seats as well as reviewed the language of Ohio Public Interest Research Group's (OhioPIRG) petition.

President Nancy Dye was scheduled to attend the meeting to discuss long-range planning with the senators, but Dye did not show up because of a time miscommunication between the two parties.

The internal senate positions were filled by senators (bottom right), yet there was an abundance of external positions left open. Senators are now advertising the open seats to the general public, including positions in athletics, Conservatory admissions, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) concerns, Standing Committee on Pluralism and Equality (SCOPE) and the Student Union.

Senator sophomore Chuckie Kamm said that Senate is encouraging students to fill the external Senate seats. "It is basically your chance to change Oberlin," Kamm said.

Senators also discussed the Security Light Walk, an event where students, senators, administrators and security officers walk around the campus checking what areas need more lighting. The Security Walk was scheduled for Thursday at 2 a.m. because they felt it was a time when there are the least lights on around the dorms.

Kamm said, "We want to make sure there's enough light everywhere, so it is considered safe."

Two representatives of OhioPIRG, National PIRG Association coordinator Michael Talbott and OhioPIRG Assistant coordinator and junior Susan Moran, also attended the meeting to submit a rough draft of a petition.

OhioPIRG has to have the support of 50 percent of the student body to remain financially independent. Every two years, senators must approve the language of the petition before they ask students to sign it. Senators will decide to approve the language of the petition this Sunday.

Dye's absence from the meeting disappointed some senators. "There was a little discontent," senator sophomore Nicole Johnston said, after senators became aware that Dye would not attend the meeting.

Senators are in the process of scheduling another meeting with Dye in a couple weeks.

Kamm said she personally felt that, "[Dye] is dissing us." She said that she felt annoyed that Dye did not attend the meeting. "We're walking on eggshells for her schedule," Kamm said.

Senator junior Dan Persky, on the other hand, said that he felt that it was "an honest scheduling problem."

Senators were planning on discussing long-range planning with Dye.

Persky said that senators want to ensure that students have a role in long-range planning activities. "We can't eliminate students from any part of the process just because we'll be gone in four years," Persky said.

Despite the confusion that arose concerning Dye's absence, senators felt that the meeting went smoothly. First-year senator Elias Holman said that he enjoyed his first meeting. "I felt right away that I was getting involved in something that was going to make a difference."

Persky said that he felt the new senators were "eager to get involved in all aspects of Senate works."

"I was impressed by how everything was run," said Holman. "I had no idea what to expect."

Student Senate Positions
Senate Student Finance Committee Co-Chair:	Alex Freuman	Student Appointments Committee:	Velia Lopez
Treasurer:	Maria Garcia	Communications:	Nicole Johnston
Computer Coordinator:	James Quinn	Bylaws:	Joshua Kaye
Laison:	Elias Holman	Workgroups anchors Governance & Planning:	Russell Menyhart
Internal SecretaryL	Chuckie Kamm	Academic Affairs:	Bobbi Lopez
Co-Chairs Student Organization Committee:	Susan Deneh	Quality of Life:	Adreas Pape
Housing and Dining:	Jennifer Trieshman