As many students wish to start the spring semester on a fresh note, SMU Student Senate begins 2008 with a new mission statement: “The Students’ Voice Helping to Shape SMU.”
Adopted by student body officers before Tuesday’s weekly meeting, the statement provides senators and officers with a positive vision for the future – regardless of goings-on in the past.
“With a new semester comes a new beginning and new issues to address. I feel that everyone in senate realizes this and is ready to continue impacting change on campus,” said Student Body Secretary Lamar Dowling after the meeting.
The statement not only reminds senators of the reasons why they were elected in the first place, but also offers students the chance to impact change on campus by making their voices heard and becoming more actively involved in SMU Student Senate.
This week and next are especially important days for the senate, as applications for general elections for the 2008-09 academic year are due next Friday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. (available online at smu.edu/studentsenate).
Opportunities are available to students of varying disciplines and of all ages.
The senate is also filling several currently vacant positions from within – including the chairs of the Membership and Finance Committees.
Hoping to increase student participation and to promote greater visibility on campus, the senate has shifted its focus from the past to the future.
After a fall semester in which it was heavily criticized for the lengthy appointment process of a vacant senator’s seat, the senate looks to concentrate this semester on issues that broadly affect the student body.
“Instead of looking at internal issues, we want to positively promote change on areas of student concern,” said Student Body President Katherine Tullos.
“Some of these include tuition increases, dining services, giddy-up, academic advising and retention rates.”
In other business, the Organizations Committee unanimously approved a positive recommendation for the temporary charter of several groups on campus, including the Cycling, Badminton and Gamerz clubs.
Also, the senate was completely excluded from choosing the provider of food services to SMU, after being assured last October of a voice in the matter by representatives of SMU Dining Services, according to President Tullos. Aramark Corp. was awarded a seven-year contract last Friday.
