Ohio University Student Senate heard Wednesday night from Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones, who said the number of registered student guests for Halloween is the lowest it has been in the 10 years since OU started keeping track.
“I haven’t heard a lot about Halloween lately,” Hall-Jones said at the meeting. “I do appreciate it when there’s more Bobcats and less outsiders.”
Both Hall-Jones and Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina stressed the importance of staying safe and making smart decisions during Halloween weekend.
“Be seen, but don’t be the scene,” Pina said.
Senate passed six resolutions, including one to appoint Anna Ayers to the LGBTQ Affairs Commission. She was previously an intern for the commission.
“I’m happy to continue working with the LGBTQA Commission and get to know and work with the rest of senate,” Ayers said. “I’m excited to represent Bobcats in the best way I can.”
Another resolution that passed was came Senate President Hannah Clouser’s idea to fund buttons for the CATS initiative. The buttons, which would pledge the wearer to not tolerate hate on the OU campus and to speak up in situations of discrimination, would come pinned to pieces of paper.
Clouser said students noticing the buttons will spark a conversation about the CATS initiative.
“This will spread awareness through talking,” she said. “And this will only be the first wave. We would like to fund a lot more if we see success from this.”
Senate also heard from Student Trustee Brooke Mauro, who said the search for the next OU president continues, and the new president will hopefully be announced sometime in March.
The other presentation came from Pat McGee, managing attorney at the Center for Student Legal Services and a member of Athens City Council. He urged the student body to vote in favor of Issue 1 on the ballot for the City of Athens.
Issue 1 would include a .20 percent income tax increase in Athens. McGee said he has been advocating for the tax increase to partly go toward funding body cameras for police in Athens.
“I’ve heard stories from many different people, and I’m convinced it’d be for the better of everyone concerned,” McGee said. “For those of you who consider yourselves citizens of Athens, this is a really good opportunity to better our city.”
During Commission Reports, Residence Life Commissioner Quinton Evans said construction at Jefferson Market is 60 percent complete, and Shively Dining Hill has added two new ice cream flavors: pumpkin and blueberry cheesecake.
