As Student Senate makes its transition to new leadership, Ohio University administrators have begun to work with new executives through meetings and other correspondences.
Usually, after elections, the vice president for Student Affairs extends an offer to the newly elected Student Senate president to set up “meet and greets” with university staff. Landen Lama, senate president for the 2017-18 academic year, has accepted the offer and will be most likely meeting with Jason Pina, vice president for Student Affairs, and David Descutner, OU’s interim president, next week.
The Student Senate president has the role or responsibility of establishing relationships with university administrators.
“It is hard to transition a Student Senate, usually because it's election-based,” Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones said.
During this year’s transitional period in Student Senate, the university will also transition to a new president.
The transition process, from the Student Senate's point of view, will focus more on what’s next regarding policies and administrative changes to be introduced by incoming OU President Duane Nellis.
“I am most looking forward (to) how Senate establishes its relationship with a President that is new to our community,” Pina said in an email. “The relationship is critical and it will be Dr. Nellis’ first Student Senate so it is an important precedent-setting year.”
Nellis will serve as OU’s 21st president when he takes office June 12. Senate executives will coordinate with Nellis to observe how well administrators are doing their jobs.
“I don't know what President Nellis is going to do,” Lama said. “It's going to be hard to say. There might be some shake-ups on campus in regards to the administration.”
Looking at the administrators, Lama said students aren't sure what role Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit, who was one of the four finalists of the presidential search but removed herself from the running before the search committee finished selections, will take next year.
During this transition period, Lama and his executive board will be meeting with the president, executive vice president and provost and the vice president for Finance and Administration.
“My plan is to seek the input of the outgoing Student Senate at our last group meeting this week,” Pina said. “We will then try to schedule a meeting with (the incoming Senate) prior to the semester’s end.”
In addition to “meet and greets,” newly elected senate executives normally complete a transition report, which Hall-Jones said helps the executives understand their new jobs.
"What I'm looking to is that (the transition is) new,” Hall-Jones said. “It's sad, too. It's bittersweet because you see an entire year's worth of work and students who are really excited and the changes that they made this year."
Student Senate will have its transition meeting, where the newly elected senators and executives will be taking their places, Wednesday, April 19.
Clarification: This article has been updated to clarify the uncertainty of administrators' roles next year.
