Student Senate held its first meeting of the semester Wednesday to establish rules and procedures and add new members for the 2024-25 academic year.
Senate passed two resolutions relating to rules and procedures and designating a specific format for legislation. The first resolution stated Senate would follow Robert’s Rules of Order, which they refer to if Senate's rules and procedures have gaps.
Dan Gordillo, Student Senate president, said Senate's rules and procedures needed to be updated, and a culture change within Senate is one goal the executive officers hope to achieve.
Executive Justice Grace Jarchow said that because the rules and procedures need to be updated, the judicial panel will be working this year to fix them.
The rules and procedures will be updated throughout the year, but Senate has decided to keep some things the same. Senate passed a resolution to keep the legislative format the same as in previous years.
Kiandra Martin, Senate vice president, said this legislation format is a tradition in Senate that has been used for many years, and she would like it to stay that way.
Other resolutions involved adding members to Senate in various commissions and senator positions. Senate welcomed prior members back in new positions and new members as well.
One member from last year, Willow Downard, is returning to Senate, but taking on a new role. Downard was the LGBTQIA+ Affairs Commissioner last year and is now the public relations director.
A new member, Anya Serrao, was also added to the Public Relations Commission, specifically for graphic design.
Returning senators include Rees Morris as an Accessibility and Accommodation senator within Minority Affairs, Aidan Kirk as a residence life senator and Rana White as a senator within the Black Affairs Commission.
The Governmental Affairs Commission appointed two new senators, Mark Vitelli and Jack Meermans. Josh Pekarski was also appointed as a new senator to the Environmental Affairs Commission.
Aside from resolutions, the Senate heard from Tetyana Dovbnya, a success advisor in the College of Business, about connecting more with Ostroh Academy, located in Athens’ sister city, Ostroh.
Dovbnya said one way Ohio University is hoping to connect with the academy is through Ostroh Acdemy’s president coming to visit Athens in October. Another is through building a connection between the student governments of both Ostroh Academy and OU.
To conclude, the meeting reports were given by each commission and executive members of the Senate.
