Ten weeks into his term, the student senate president said he has gained ground on many senate initiatives, despite producing few tangible results on major campaign promises.
Senate passed nine resolutions this quarter - five of which were motions to appoint senators. Other resolutions included endorsing changes to on-campus room selection, supporting Disability Awareness Month and approving a budget for the business fair.
Last year, the senate passed 17 resolutions during its first 10 weeks, but current-Senate President Robert Leary said that only two of last year's resolutions directly affected the student body at-large.
Two staples of Leary's campaign last spring were opening Budget Planning Council Meetings and securing voting rights for student trustees.
The council, which makes key budget recommendations to the president, continues to operate behind closed doors, and minutes from the June 18 meeting, at which the council voted in favor of a tuition increase, remain unavailable to the public.
The senate could not agree on whether student trustees should have a vote, and a discussion at a meeting of student leaders from across Ohio this weekend produced similar disagreement.
A lot of this quarter has been advocacy and endorsement
Leary said.
Aside from formal resolutions passed by the senate, several committees planned and executed events throughout the quarter.
Events hosted by senate committees included the business fair, various disability awareness events, the off-campus housing fair, the lighting walk and university-wide and green-specific town hall meetings.
Senate continues to hammer out details for the proposed Honor Code, and has assembled a committee to determine specifics.
A number of proposals have yet to be implemented but Vice President Emily Bacha said she is certain current projects will be completed by the end of the year.
Both Leary and Bacha emphasized that Fall Quarter is mainly a period of planning, and that more projects come to light later in the year.
I think there was a lot of behind the scenes work this quarter said Patty Roberts, senate's chief of staff.
Projects senate will continue on next quarter include analyzing smoking policies on campus, surveying students on student health services, reinstating the bike share program from last year and assessing Vision Ohio goals.
I don't want to see any of these not come to fruition Bacha said, adding she feels personally responsible to keep projects from falling through the cracks.
I know it takes time to get these things done. Especially when you're trying to gain insight and work with administrators
Bacha said.
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Rosie Haney
