Ohio University Student Senate held a town hall Tuesday and discussed goals for the semester and recruitment efforts.
Senate President Becky “Eliza” Ivan said two of her main goals for the semester are to make the Counseling and Psychological Services, or CPS, website more personable by adding new features and to better implement student wellness days into class syllabi. Ivan would like each student to have the opportunity to take up to three wellness days but also said the idea’s process is still in the works.
“Having more personal goals, facts about each person that you possibly see when seeking out those services so you can be more comfortable in that situation … and to make it a better pairing process … to make sure that you’re getting the best person at that time for you,” she said. “How I pictured it happening, it’s just adding into the syllabi the way that mental health resources are on every single syllabus.”
She also said the body wants to re-evaluate all university handbooks, like the code of conduct, the faculty handbook, the administration handbook and the student handbook.
Vice President Elaina Tartal said the body is also looking to make updates to its own constitution. Any student organization on campus should conduct an internal review every couple of years, she said, and Senate is no different.
Ivan said one issue in particular Senate has been struggling with during Fall Semester has been recruitment. The body has done many different things to attempt to fill the positions it has open, including tabling outside of Baker. It is also hosting a “Coffee with the Senate Members” event Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to allow students to talk to all members of Senate, not just the executives.
“We’ll be giving out free coffee cards at Front Room, so come get a free coffee, talk to us about what you want to change on campus, especially if you are interested in joining Senate. We would love to talk to you about that process,” Ivan said. “We also plan to table more, specifically targeting to hear concerns rather than just recruitment. But that's something we definitely face, leaving a pandemic, is getting people to join organizations again.”
Any student who is interested in joining the body can apply on Bobcat Connect.
