The 15th Undergraduate Senate convened Tuesday night to discuss lingering concerns about the SAFE Reform proposal—a bill meant to help simplify the current student activities funding system—and to finalize decisions on bills regarding Graduate Student Council (GSC) funding and the Green Store
Last quarter, some students questioned the efficacy and flexibility of the SAFE Reform proposal while others expressed concern that their groups’ unique funding situations would not be sustainable under the measure’s provisions. The Senate framed concerns raised as simply reflective of a need for more transparency, better marketing and clearer information about the new funding system.
“We had a town hall meeting today and many of the people were supportive of the bill,” said proposal co-author Justine Moore ’16. “We are working on marketing the SAFE bill, and we will be creating info-graphics to [make the bill more accessible for students].”
The Senate also introduced three bills, starting with a measure to confirm student nominees selected by the Nominations Commission to occupy positions on various University committees. Senator John-Lancaster Finley ’16 discussed the problems of candidates potentially running for both the Senate and the Board of Trustees. The Senate will vote on the confirmations of the prospective nominees next week.
A representative from the GSC came to the Senate meeting to discuss a bill to fund and promote tickets sales to graduate students for a major spring-quarter concert in Frost Amphitheater. The representative requested a $10,000 withdrawal from the graduate buffer fund to subsidize the event in a measure that, according to the joint bylaws, requires a two-thirds majority vote from the Undergraduate Senate to pass.
The Undergraduate Senate suspended the rules of order to allow the GSC to use the buffer fund, which effectively serves as an emergency reserve.
The Senate closed its discussions with the final bill of the day regarding the appointment of Green Store directors. Green Store, an online-operated joint service project that works with both the Senate and GSC, sells recyclable cups and compostable foodware. Green Store allows registered undergraduate and graduate student groups to buy products, which are then delivered to on-campus locations.
Susie Choi ’12 J.D. ’15, the co-founder of Green Store, recommended Christina Luu ’16 and Julie Zhu ’16 as the new directors.
In other news, the Senate will hold a Senate transition conference to educate members of the 16th Senate before they take office later this quarter. Rachel Samuels ’17 commenced her Senate career by serving as a proxy for Senator Abby Dow ’16, who is spending the quarter abroad. Senator Ilya Mouzykantskii ’16 resigned his position, as he will be spending the quarter in Russia.
Contact Peter Moon at pmoon ‘at’ stanford ‘dot’ edu.