The 2017-18 Ohio University Student Senate plans to spend the summer preparing to accomplish its ambitious goals for the next academic year.
Vice President Nicole Schneider said her biggest goal for next year is accomplishing everything the Green Light ticket promised during campaign season.
Green Light’s campaign platform included achieving greater transparency, collaborating with other organizations on campus and bettering OU as a whole.
“It’s obviously a very ambitious list,” Schneider said. “But since we have talked to administrators, we could actually get all that done.”
Senate President Landen Lama said next year’s senate will focus less on internal initiatives than the last two senates.
“All of our platform points actively fight for an increased student voice on all issues on campus,” Lama said. “We want to make sure students are at the planning table for anything being discussed that would pertain to them.”
Over the summer, senate will be appointing members to commissions, planning future projects and organizing as a group, Schneider said.
“We do have many positions that will be filled,” Lama said. “Hopefully that will all be done by Monday. It looks promising.”
Senate appointments are normally not complete until fall. Lama said next year’s 12 commissioners, chief of staff and public relations director have already been chosen.
“Our main thing is getting our platform to them, having everyone collaborate, putting dates on points and doing the groundwork,” Lama said.
Schneider said her main goal for the summer is ensuring commissioners are connecting with vice commissioners.
“A lot of times, commissions are unsuccessful because they are not close,” Schneider said. “I’m going to be very involved in that process this summer.”
Senate does not convene over summer break, but Schneider said she expects the executives to have frequent conference calls.
Treasurer Zach Woods said he and Senate Appropriations Committee Commissioner Haley Klier are creating a list of budget-related plans for next year’s senate.
“We want a line-by-line item of where tuition is going,” Woods said.
Woods said senate can use the referendum system to learn what students want, like during January’s conceal carry referendum. That information can be passed to Lama, who is on the Budget Planning Council.
Woods said he wants to increase transparency within SAC and change voting systems.
He plans to ask Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones and Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina to give senate a second graduate assistant specifically for SAC.
Executives Lama, Schneider and Woods said they are pleased with the progress made by the last two senates and want to continue the momentum while focusing more on external issues.
“This year has been incredible,” Schneider said. “The way the executives led the entire body was great. I want to continue that but always make improvements.”
