Student Senate met Wednesday to hear presentations from the International Student Union, the University Programing Council and the Black Student Cultural Programming Board.
The International Student Union began by giving a presentation about what they do, and the events that have been put on this year.
Two upcoming events that the International Student Union presented to the senate include participating in the Ohio University homecoming parade and the international student dinner.
Next to present was the University Programming Council, which provides free events for students on campus.
The presenters spoke about some of the events they have been able to put on since the beginning of the Fall semester, including welcome week events and bingo during parents' weekend.
Also mentioned were events they are hoping to continue to implement in the future, such as Flavor of the Week in Baker Center.
The last organization to present was the Black Student Cultural Programming Board or BSCPB. Like the other presentations, BSCPB told student senate about the events they have planned for this academic year.
One of the major programming events, and the first of the semester, the BSCPB mentioned was the 46th annual Blackburn Spencer Scholarship Pageant. All proceeds of the pageant are used to fund the Blackburn Spencer Scholarship.
The scholarship was created in honor of Martha Jane Hunley Blackburn, the first African American woman to graduate from Ohio University and Donald A. Spencer, the first African American to serve as chairman of the Ohio University Board of Trustees, according to the university’s website.
Another major event is Apollo Night during the Friday night of Siblings weekend, Feb. 2, 2024, and a concert the following night in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
“We actually can not release the artist until we leave school in December,” Demi Ward, BSCPB president, said. “We do a lot of heavy promotion…to get that anticipation built up, and then after everyone gets back after December – Christmas break – we release the artists.”
Ward also shared plans to bring back events BSCPB has not done since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Heritage Festival and the black history keynote speaker were all events that the BSCPB has historically done pre-COVID. So these are events that I wish to bring back this year,” Ward said.
Student Senate passed several pieces of legislation admitting new members, commissioners, vice commissioners and senators into the senate.
