SMU Student Senate is still looking for a few good students to fill open senate positions. Two Meadows seats, three education seats, three graduate student seats, one international seat and one diversity chair position are still open.
Communications Chair Taylor Armstead encouraged senators at Tuesday’s meeting to spread the word by talking to people one-on-one.
“What I’m trying to do is bring some recognition to Senate,” she said.
Interested students can apply online at smu.edu/senate and click on the “Get Involved” link. Student Body Vice President Katherine Tullos encouraged senators to link to the Web site on their Facebook accounts to increase site traffic and raise awareness about Senate activities.
Recommendations for changes to the Student Code of Conduct can be submitted online or through a senator. Secretary Brooks Powell is organizing the recommendations, but so far there’s been “a grand total of one – thank you Senator Ben Hatch,” he said.
Proposals are due Nov. 3.
In other business, Senate approved the probationary status of the Spanish club, which limits the group’s access to funding, but is the first step in becoming a fully chartered organization.
Senate also voted to grant SPARC all of the money it requested for Community Service Day on Nov. 4, which totaled $1,690.
“We’re really happy Senate decided to support this program,” said CSD co-coordinator Michelle Wigianto.
“It’s a great way to show SMU’s commitment to community service,” she added.
Co-coordinator Austin Follett agreed.
“We always rely on Senate to grant us funding,” he said, adding that SPARC saved “about $600” by using Dallas County school buses instead of charter buses.
The Senate also debated how much to give the Middle Eastern Student Association for its event “1001 Nights” planned for Nov. 16, The group requested $3,189 for the event with a DJ, food and dancers, but the finance committee recommended giving it $1,839. Because of Senate protocol that requires a week between the introduction of the finance committee’s recommendation and the official Senate vote, the issue won’t be decided until next week.
Senate will also vote next week on the Meadows Dance Department’s annual senior show, called “Skin, Cement, Ink, Noise.”
The finance committee voted against funding the show completely, recommending that the Senate give the senior dance majors $2,811 for their January production.
Senators also brainstormed about possible solutions to golf cart traffic issues and rethinking the General Education curriculum, but no official recommendations were made.
