Senate reconvenes

Student Senate is back in session and currently electing new officers.

Junior Erika Hansen, Sophomore Kate Davoli and Junior Aaron Levy are the only returning members to this year's Senate. According to Hansen, who has been a member of the senate for two years, the Senate's major agenda is currently elections. The elections will begin on Sept. 12 and run for a 10-day period, or until 20 percent of the student body has voted, whichever is later. After the close of elections, the newly elected Senators will attend a day-long retreat in order to get acquainted with the workings of the senate.

One of the major issues currently facing the senate is the possibility of gaining sole control of the chartering process. Chartering, a means of approving new clubs and activities, is currently handled by the general faculty. Under the current system, it may take up to eight months to obtain a charter due to all of the red tape. "If the proposal passes, chartering will lie in the hands of the senate officers and will entirely change the role of Senate," said Hansen.

Although this year's Senate is still in the formative stages and no predominant agenda has yet been established, some issues aside from chartering have moved to the foreground.

According to Hansen, fellow Senator junior Jane Glynn has been working to formulate a definitive room search and seizure policy. Glynn said, "There is no seizure policy, which leaves students in the dark as to whether or not their belongings can be seized. Furthermore, administrators are baffled about their responsibilities regarding seizures. If they don't do it and they should, they take the heat; if they do and they shouldn't, then they still take the heat. That's not fair to anyone."

Former Senator sophomore Chris Anton, who is running once again, said, "I'm trying to carry over some of the work that I started last year. I'd like to start a summer private reading program for credit, specifically for students in financial and academic need" Another issue that is part of Anton's platform is administrative accountability. In reference to this, he said, "The administration is very slow moving. They offer a lot of excuses for problems that could be easily fixed."