Created in 1915, Student Senate both serves and represents the student body. As a proactive and reactive organization, Student Senate addresses the concerns of the students.
“We want to hear your ideas, no matter what their content might contain,” said the 2011-12 Student Body President Austin Prentice. “We are here to represent your voice.”
Though the Student Body Officers and many Senators have been selected for the 2011-12 school year, incoming freshmen can still be a part of Senate.
Student Body Vice President Alex Ehmke encourages incoming freshmen to get involved “as soon as they set foot on campus.”
There are five First-Year Student Senate seats open to incoming students. Elections for those seats will be held within the first few weeks of school.
“Holding a First-Year Senator position is a great introduction to Senate,” Student Body Secretary Martha Pool said.
However, because it is a significant time commitment, students can apply to be general members of eight committees, which include finances, communications and scholarships.
“This (a Senate committee position) is a great way to stay connected and be a part of Senate without the additional time and effort that being a senator requires,” Pool said.
For students considering joining Senate, they should review previous bills passed and legislation that they would like to see written of the summer, according to the 2011-12 Speaker Ted Belden.
“Once they have a platform to run on, it’s just a matter of getting out there and campaigning once the school year begins,” Belden said.
Ehmke added that students who are considering running for a Senate position “should be passionate about the school and ready to bring about change on campus.”
Continuing from previous semesters, Senate hopes to revisit issues such as the number of reading days before finals, parking problems, special interest seats for the athletic community and graduation fees.
Senate also plans to address new, tangible matters next year like extending library hours, according to Prentice.
Student Senate meets every Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Forum and is open to the public. Thus, if being a member of Senate is not appealing to incoming freshmen, or other students, it is still accessible for students to bring questions and concerns.
“Student Senate is a representation of the student body, and therefore exists to serve them,” Parliamentarian Alex Morgan said.
Because each Senator represents 300 students, it is the student body’s job to keep them accountable.
“It is your job to reach out to your Senator and let him or her know what you would like to see changed or improved on campus,” Pool said.
After each meeting, Pool, the Student Body Secretary, will send out weekly updates about the issues addressed during meetings. Students can contact their respected Senator about issues mentioned in these updates.
“Together, we can continue improving SMU during this historic Centennial Celebration era,” Prentice said.
For more information about Student Senate, contact Katherine Ladner at [email protected].
