Student Senate began at 6:05 p.m. on Nov. 16. The body welcomed members of the university administration who came to speak about the strategic planning of the next five years of the university.

MJ Brukardt, the head of the committee on the five-year plan for the university, presented their plans to the senate.

Brukardt explained there will be fewer students by 2025 due to demographic changes, so they have to plan for this. Brukardt said the budget is partly made up of student fees so the drop in students will directly affect the university’s ability to fund things.

The group explained they wanted to increase the university’s prominence and wanted to make the university more distinctive among both people in the Midwest as well as others in the country.

Brukardt said there were several objectives the university should focus on to reach these goals. 

“We want to live our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity,” Brukardt said.

As she continued her presentation, Brukardt and Louisa Rice, a professor of history, explained they want to lead innovation in health sciences and human wellbeing, as well as collaborate with the community and organizations like the Mayo Clinic. 

Rice said the university would increase its notoriety if it were to increase its collaborations with outside groups viewed as prestigious, such as the Mayo Clinic. 

Brukardt said sustainability would be a great focus for the next five years. She said the head of the task force on sustainability within the administration would focus on learning how to retrofit buildings on campus with green solutions, as well as focusing on making sure future buildings are built in a sustainable fashion. 

The senate then passed Bill 64R-10. This bill was meant to show support for the administration’s decision to move classes all online after Thanksgiving break. 

Kristof can be reached at [email protected].