After the impeachment and removal of the Ohio University Student Senate vice president last quarter, senators voted in a special meeting on November 17 to fill the position.
Melissa Naroski, former off-campus life commissioner and a spring vice-presidential candidate, was chosen to replace Katie Simpson at the end of last quarter.
Simpson was removed from office for failing to complete her duties as vice president, such as filling empty positions and providing information to new senators.
For Naroski, who will be formally sworn in at the meeting tonight, one of the biggest tasks will be to fill empty positions on senate staff. However, both she and President Jamie Walter said that an orientation for new members, a retreat for all members of senate and one-on-one reorientation sessions for returning members would help with this quarter's transition.
Walter said one of the main priorities for the quarter is planning a university-wide diversity conference. The conference, scheduled for February 27, will feature lectures and discussions about past and present diversity at OU and how to foster a diverse environment in the future.
Increasing student awareness of the new student center plans is also a high priority for Walter and Naroski. Walter said plans for the center, scheduled to open in 2006, are about 95 percent complete. Senators will arrange a forum for students to see and discuss the plans, and she said senate is considering creating a movable display of the plans.
Senate also will be monitoring the process of the presidential search committee and trying to gather student input about expectations for candidates. Because only two students serve on the committee, Walter said there is a lack of student representation involved in the search. Student trustee Tara Stuckey, a senior, and Michael Willits, president of the Graduate Student Senate, are the only students on the committee.
They (Stuckey and Willits) recognize the fact that there's not enough representation
Walter said. Senate will also have a forum to discuss the presidential search after the next committee meeting in mid-February.
The first student senate meeting of the quarter will be tonight at 7:15 p.m. in the 1954 Lounge of Baker Center.
For more information about student senate, visit www.mystudentsenate.com or call 593-4050. Senate offices are in Baker Center room 309.
Open Ohio University Student Senate Positions:
Minority Affairs Commissioner
Off Campus Life Commissioner
State & Federal Affairs Commissioner
Women's Affairs Commissioner
Senator At-Large (2 positions open)
Honors Tutorial College Senator
University College Senator
South Green Senator
West Green Senator
Students interested in applying should contact the senate office at 593-4050. 17
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Suzanne Wilder
