Student Senate continued its recent trend of allocating time to students in the back of the room during Speakers and Issues at its weekly Thursday meeting. Sophomore Matt Jurysta returned with more questions about Senate’s transparency and vision.
After the first motion under New Business was passed, approving the Drake Optimist Club, Senator Sarah Tucker moved to allow non-senators to raise their hands to be placed on the speaking order during discussion. The motion passed.
Visitors took advantage of the opportunity to contribute to the conversations over motions and issues. Jurysta, members from the newly formed Drake Optimist Club, Senate committee members and other regular attendees questioned how student fees were being spent when the issue was brought up during Speakers and Issues in preparation for Tuesday’s Town Hall meeting. The forum is scheduled for 9 p.m. in the Drake Room in Olmsted.
Senator Greg Larson revisited the topic of sustainability once they had exhausted discussion of fees.
Senators debated whether they should draft a motion of future actions or focus on a resolution highlighting what they have already done to support sustainability.
However, Jurysta emphasized that there were larger issues to discuss.
“We’ve moved on from the issue of sustainability and want to address the bigger issue of who is our Student Senate,” Jurysta said. “I’m unclear of what the vision of how Student Senate wants to mold their campus is.”
“You should ask yourselves this and figure it out,” he asked of senators.
Jurysta said he felt senators should have a greater presence at organizational events and promote more opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of Senate’s vision. He added that all senators should think about what their personal vision for the governing body is.
Senator La’Cee Groetken answered Jurysta’s question.
“I’m actually acting on my visions, and that’s part of being a senator,” Groetken said. “I hope you can see that there is at least one senator here that is doing some work and laying groundwork for the visions of students here to be fulfilled on this campus and I know I’m not alone.”
Senator Emily Krstulic, chair of the Public Affairs Committee, said that Senate is challenged in communicating with students. She gave examples of efforts in the past that went unnoticed by the student body, though they were carefully planned and executed. She also outlined future Senate plans for communication, including the revival of “Fireside Chats,” podcasted Senate meetings, and restructuring the Senate Web site.
Several senators were concerned about Jurysta’s opinion on their attendance at organizational events, speaking openly about their own involvement on campus and their personal visions as members of the governing body.
Senator Samantha Haas said she was unsure of what more to do to reach out to students.
“I’m struggling here,” Haas said. “I do feel like I’m putting forth a lot of effort for Senate. I’m confused about what I personally can do to make myself more available or approachable. We’re putting forth a lot of effort to reach out to students and I don’t feel like I’m seeing a lot of return on that.”
As discussion around the table continued to center on how to be better representatives of their constituents, Haas added, “I encourage the student body to look past what the direct vote says and what the underlying meaning of the vote and everything we do is.” She explained that there is a significant amount of work that goes into Senate behind the scenes.
Jenny Koska is the senator that moved to allowed people to speak freely on the speaking order. Not sarah tucker.
Student Senate, the organization that pretends to have a say in what happens on Drake’s campus, but in reality is just a training ground for future blowhards in their quest for elected office. I went through six years at Drake, and never once did I see anything happen that was the direct and sole result of Senate action. Everyone knows that the real puppetmasters at Drake are President Maxwell and the Deans, the Board of Trustees, and the Faculty Senate. Student Senate is an exercise in feel-good organizational behavior that in reality accomplishes nothing. It is meant to be a paean to the students so that they have “a voice”, but that voice is always shouted down by the administration. When Student Senate sets the annual budget for Drake’s operations, let me know. If all they control is the activities fees, there is only so much they can do, and they will continue to be (in the minds of many students and alums) a hollow organization, just another line to pad the resumes of those who participated.