Student Union

This Wednesday, Senate will be joined by WUPD Chief Don Strom to discuss racial profiling and any improvements that can be made on campus.  Please come and share your thoughts on the issue, and we hope to see you there! 

We'll also vote on the executives' recommendation for VP of Programming, which will be announced soon.  Our full agenda for Wednesday night is attached below.

Last night, SU Senate unanimously passed a resolution advocated for the renaming of the University's Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization, which is attached below.  Thank you to all the students who came out to show your passion and support, and moving forward we aspire to continue addressing issues that are of such great interest to you.

Senate also inducted 12 senators for the new term, 7 of which are new to Senate (denoted with a *):

Architecture - Taylor Epskamp*
Art - Kelsey Eng
Arts & Sciences - Ross Passo*, Mamatha Challa, Alex Cooper*, Michael Post, Dan Robinson*, Eric Schwartz, Jacqui Germain*
Business - Jason Yakabu
Engineering - Pat Kelly*, Cody Katz*

Finally, Senate held our internal elections for this new term last night:

Speaker of the Senate - Chase Sackett
Academic Affairs Committee Chair - Michelle Chen
Campus Services Committee Chair - Liz Jordan
University Initiatives Committee Chair - Kirsten Miller

Thank you again to everyone who came last night, and please let us know however we can help you with an issue on campus!  As a preview, next week WUPD Chief Don Strom will be coming to our meeting and discussing ways to address the issue of racial profiling on campus.

This Wednesday at 9PM in Simon 113, SU Senate will vote on a proposed resolution, sponsored by Senators Jake Novick and Jason Yakabu, to advocate for the renaming of the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization, on the basis that the term "clean coal" is an industry marketing term and that usage of such wording may invite doubt regarding the integrity of the research conducted by the Consortium.  The full resolution is attached below, along with the full agenda for Senate this week.  As always, we hope to see you there to let Senate know your thoughts on the legislation.

Tonight SU Senate passed a resolution lauding the actions of recent student activism in response to the "America's Energy Future" conference which the University held this Monday, and which did not sufficiently include renewable energy sources.  This student activism is a perfect example of efforts we can make to improve our own campus and university, and we stand by our fellow students in their attempt to achieve a sustainable energy future.  Next week Senate will be discussing a further energy-related resolution in response to the specific decisions the university has made with regard to this issue-- look for that soon.  Take a look at the resolution here, as well as Student Life's coverage of the flash mob.

Senate also passed a resolution recommending the creation of a pilot program through Spring Break expanding dining hours at the Village from midnight to 2AM on Friday and Saturday, and stir fry availability from 8PM to 9PM on Sunday through Thursday.  The chair of Senate's Campus Services committee and Jeff Nelson, the Student Body President, will meet with administrators from Dining Services to evaluate the status of the pilot program every two weeks.  Further options under consideration include SU subsidizing the program, or recommending changes to dining hours elsewhere to accomodate these additional hours.  Check out the resolution here, and also Student Body President's Jeff Nelson's blog on the subject.

Also, Senate confirmed Nate Ferguson, former VP of Programming, as the new VP of Administration.  Be on the lookout for information on the next VP of Programming soon.

This Wednesday, SU Senate will see two resolutions and vote to confirm a new Vice President of Administration.  The first resolution advocates for an pilot program for expanded hours in the Village, and the second advocates for Washington University to change the name for the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization and also pursue the development of renewable energy sources.  Senate will vote on the passage of both resolutions, which are attached below. 

Nate Ferguson, the current VP of Programming, has been recommended by the executives to be appointed as the new VP of Administration.  After Treasury confirms their selection on Tuesday night, Senate will vote to confirm a candidate for the position.

Last Wednesday, Senate's Town Hall on Racial Profiling co-moderated by myself, Connect 4's co-Presidents Wanda Savala and De Nichols was an incredibly productive discussion with many students in attendance, and has been covered in two separate articles in Student Life: "WU commission investigating officer's encounter with student" and "SU Discusses Results of Racial Profiling Survey".  We analyzed the current situation on campus and the results of Senate's survey to students regarding racial profiling, and came up with a formative action plan that will next be discussed at Connect 4's Roundtable on Monday, November 9th from 8-9PM in DUC 276.  The survey results are attached, as well as the comprehensive document collecting ideas from both Wednesday's Senate Town Hall and Monday's Town Hall regarding the Chicago Mother's Night Club Original incident.  Here are the ideas we will be investigating to improve the situation on campus:

WU/PD and RACIAL PROFILING

*Voice opinions and open conversation with them.
*Schedule a meeting to voice concerns and open conversation.
*Have them create a list of requirements they use for suspecting individuals.
*Increase transparency.
*Diversity Training for WUPD.
*Establish what causes students to report others.
*Raise student awareness.
*Establish reportage system.             
        BRIC program is outlined. Could be of help.     

 ON CAMPUS STUDENT AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING

*Freshman year program      
       Connect 4 members Camille Young and Lexi Klein are starting an Operation  *Understanding initiative for freshmen at WU. Connect 4 has budgeted for events for such for next semester. 
*Get students to share personal stories.
            Use the Stories Project?                                                                                                                                 * Generate ways by which students can learn about other cultures and student groups.                            
* Provide safe, open means by which to express curiosity about other cultures.
* Decrease minority sensitivity to curiosity. Increase understanding.           
* Celebrate similarities instead of differences                                   
* Continue dialogue via non-cultural cultural groups like Connect 4 and One World                       
* Host diversity trainings and trainers.
     Rap Sessions, November 14th.
    Mix It Up Day, November 10th                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
STUDENT INTERACTION/ PROGRAMMING

* Have More events that allow students to freely interact and mingle… (some already exist)      
     Mix It Up Day, November 10     
     The Solution                                                                                              
* Have reps from different groups visit other groups                                    
* Connecting students before arriving at WU
          Bear Buddies, Joseph Marcus                     
* Reach out to grad schools.                                                                         
*Reach-out to those who aren’t in cultural groups.                                       
* Integrate Greek Life in more "cultural" activities.                                                            * Create a multicultural retreat that all students can attend at the beginning of the year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  * Develop an Overarching Group of students that would commit to this.     
     SU is working with Connect 4 in efforts to create a diversity affairs position in SU as  well as an executive council that would address these and other issues of diversity.        
* Address MC Weekend.                              

RESLIFE        
* Take diversity into account when making freshman floors.
* Use RAs as resources.
* Provide training program on Freshmen floors as part of orientation.

Tonight, Senate will be holding a town hall on racial profiling to focus the conversation that began at Monday night's forum on ways to improve the situation on campus at WashU.  The town hall will be held as part of our regular meeting at 9:00PM in Simon 113, and will begin at 9:30PM. 

Additionally, last week Senate passed a resolution in support of the actions of the Senior Class Trip participation and condemning Mother's Night Club Original's act of discrimination during the senior trip.  The resolution is attached below.

If you've read Student Life today, you've seen that six seniors on the Senior Class trip in Chicago this weekend were racially discriminated against at a bar (http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/18/students-protest-race-discrimination-at-bar-in-chicago-during-senior-class-trip/).  The news release Senior Class President Fernando Cutz sent to 26 media outlets yesterday morning is attached below as well.  In response, Senator Jake Laperruque is co-sponsoring a resolution on the issue with Fernando, which Senate will see on Wednesday-- this is also attached below.  Jake, Senator Matt Aiken, and I will also be investigating racial profiling at Wash U over the next week or two.  Please come and let Senate know your feelings on the issue at our meeting Wednesday at 9PM in Simon 113, or email us beforehand at senate@su.wustl.edu .

Senate will also be reviewing election reform legislation tabled from last week's meeting.  In addition, Senate passed a number of reforms at our meeting last week that Treasury will be voting on tomorrow night.  All are included in the document that is attached.

This week Senate will be hearing from Rob Wild, the Assistant to the Chancellor, regarding new university-wide developments, issues and initiatives.  We'll also be voting on the confirmations for three individuals: Will Fischer, Executive Advisor for Sustainability; Zach Schmitz, Sophomore Class President; and Michael Offerman, Sophomore Class Secretary. Afterward Senate will discuss election reform and potential changes for the next election cycle, beginning with fall Senate elections.  The agenda is attached below.  As always, we'll also be holding Student Open Forum at the beginning of the meeting, and any student with a question or concern about campus issues or policy should feel free to come and make themselves heard.  The meeting will be at our typical time and location: 9PM this Wednesday in Simon 113 (the business school).

After the first incredibly successful meeting of WU/FUSED (Washington University For Undergraduate Socio-Economic Diversity), we will be meeting again this Monday, September 7th at 1PM in DUC276.  We will be discussing the meaning of socioeconomic diversity and hold our own orientation session on the issue.  My fellow co-chair Fernando Cutz and I encourage all interested to attend, even if you missed the first meeting.

To briefly summarize, WU/FUSED is an broad student coalition dedicated to improving socioeconomic diversity as well as awareness of the issue at WashU through increased financial aid resources, administrative policy change, and student dialogue. For more information on the group, check out my previous post, or send an email to wufused@su.wustl.edu .    Also, check the article and supportive editorial in Student Life in this Week.  The minutes from our first meeting are attached below.