This week, the St. John’s Senate engaged in discussion about the university’s actions in relation to sustainability and the possibility of financing different student trips. Much of the discussion centered on what types of trips the Senate should fund.
Several students attended the senate meeting to tell the Senate of their idea to appoint a sustainability director at SJU, similar to the position established at St. Ben’s. The students thought that this would be very important in the actual impact the school makes in the sphere of sustainable practices.
The Senate expressed clear support for the ideas that the students brought, but elaborated that it would take more than the student senate to get the initiative working. The Senate offered their support in bringing the initiative to one of the school committees and writing a factual letter of support for a sustainability director.
“I’ll try to figure out where the conversation would start in some committees, it has to start there,” Regent Jon Ostazeski said.
Next, the Senate moved to board reports. These included an announcement for a Christmas dinner for senators at SJU president Fr. Robert Koopmann’s house, spending reports from the Activities and Allocations Board, an reminder about the senate booth at the Festival of Cultures this Saturday, and a report from the Judicial Board on progress on the student bill of rights.
When the Senate opened for time for senators to address questions to other senators, a main topic was a proposed greenhouse for SJU that the senate would have to partly fund. Vice President Conner Griffin presented the specifics to the Senate, telling senators that within two years of it being built, it would be profitable. After talking about this and a proposed newspaper survey, the Senate moved on to lighter topics, addressing the concern over missing volleyball nets, which now are “somewhere in Sexton.”
Moving on to new business, the Senate decided to allocate $200 to the Peer Resource Program Roller Disco Dance, which was described by a presenter as an “alcohol free stress reliever” set in a “funkified vintage atmosphere” where people could “groove for a few hours.” This promptly received it funding due to prior dances being well attended.
The next item on the spending agenda was a motion to allocate $810, later amended to $875, to a group of Johnnies going on a winter dog sledding retreat trip. SJU senior William Newkirk presented a PowerPoint on behalf of the group which highlighted what the trip would bring back to campus and the values that the trip would espouse. The trip, which is no longer open to registration, would go from Jan. 8 to Jan. 12 in Ely, Minn. and would support a St. John alum’s business.
The Senate took part in intense debate over the subject.
“What is the difference between trips that would enlighten students and (that we would) fund and what are trips that are more like vacations and (we would) not fund,” Senator Isaac Meyers asked.
The debate continued indefinitely due to the issue of where a student’s activity fee should go; either towards individual benefit or community benefit. The motion to extend debate passed three times from the initial 10-minute period by increments of 5, 10, and 15 minutes respectively.
The fourth attempt to extend debate was denied. Many wanted to focus on the one individual issue rather than the overall philosophical issues and wanted to vote on allotting the funds. The senate eventually passed the motion to give $875 unanimously.
The next Saint John’s Senate meeting will convene on November 21, at 9:20 P.M. in Sexton 200.
Tags: SJU Senate