The newly-elected Ohio University Student Senate executives will continue working on projects from the previous year, including mental health advocacy in syllabi and encouraging students to vote.
New Student Senate executives were sworn into office on Sept. 16. These executives include President Ian Carter III, Vice President Elizabeth Lilly and Treasurer Becky "Eliza" Ivan.
Carter is joining the Student Senate for his first semester. He’s a senior at OU studying biological sciences, and outside of the Student Senate, Carter is also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
“I joined the Senate initially to learn more about how the Senate operates and see how I could make an impact in my community and campus,” Carter said in an email. “I know this is the best way for me to create change and I plan to do that with the help of my peers and faculty.”
His goal for this year is to keep students informed and aware of issues on all OU campuses as students work with faculty to address issues and find solutions.
Lilly is serving as Student Senate’s new vice president during her first semester with the organization as well. She is a senior studying communications with certificates in marketing and political communications. Along with the Student Senate, Lilly is the secretary of the Astrology Club and also a member of Chi Omega.
“As an individual, I want to ensure a strong connection and understanding among students in every corner of Ohio University. Whether you’re at home, in Athens or on another campus, I want to keep bobcats connected and involved,” Lilly said in an email.
Although the group was originally recommended to Lilly by a friend, she has found a passion helping to make real change on campus for students for years to come.
Student Senate’s new treasurer, Ivan, had a similar experience when joining Student Senate as she has developed a passion for advocating for change. Unlike her cohorts, this is Ivan’s second year in the Student Senate. Last year, she held the positions of Women's Affairs Senator and Off-Campus Vice Commissioner.
“The reason I took the opportunity to be the next treasurer is the same I joined back then. I want to help my peers fix issues they see on and off campus and always be an advocate for them,” Ivan said in an email. “My goals for this year are to be able to create programs for our student body that are virtual, gain a better virtual presence and to become a more valuable source of information to our peers.”
Ivan is a senior studying political science and sociology as well as working for a certificate in law, justice and culture. She’s the co-founder of the Political Science Majors Association, Philanthropy Chair of Alpha Omicron Pi and a member of Phi Alpha Delta on top of her Student Senate position.
As the new executives look toward the future, they want to continue the projects of the executives before them. This includes keeping up with mental health resources in syllabi and the encouragement of students to complete the census and register to vote. The executives plan to build off their foundation, Carter said in an email.
Although COVID-19 has changed how the student executives reach out to their community, they plan to work just as hard. They have been utilizing both Microsoft Teams and Zoom for meetings as well as social media to keep everyone updated. As the year goes on, the student executives are ready to adapt to make sure information is always accessible.
“I wish we could all meet in person, but I would rather make sure we are safe, healthy, and focused on listening to what you have to say!” Lilly said in an email.
During the election process, controversy regarding Carlo DeNiro, a presidential candidate accused of sexual assault, brought up many concerns from the Student Senate members, according to a previous Post report.
In response, the executives agree that there must be change so this will not happen again. Although specific plans have not been made, it is a huge issue the executives will be focused on.
“Someone who could ever do something so harmful to anyone does not deserve the opportunity to represent our peers, let alone make decisions on their behalf. We believe survivors and will fight for your voices, as the student body, to be heard always,” Ivan said in an email.
As OU students get deeper into the Fall Semester, these new executives are determined to make changes for the better. All students are invited come to these meetings virtually on Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m.
“We are all one community and I think if we work together we can accomplish a lot and create the change we would like to see,” Carter said in an email.
