The Student Senate meeting began at 6:04 p.m. on Monday.

Sahana Suresh said she is working on transition materials after being appointed as the academic affairs director during the last meeting.

According to Suresh, the academic affairs commission is looking for an intern and commission members. Interested students can reach her at [email protected].

According to Equity in Student Matters Senate Director Maddie Blong, the commission will be holding events for Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, including a lottery night from 5-6 p.m. on Sep. 27 and a movie night from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 4, both in the Latinx Cultural Center.

Blong said students, faculty and staff should wear orange shirts in solidarity with the Indigenous Community for Orange Shirt Day on Sep. 30.

The purpose of Orange Shirt Day is to “help recognize the impacts of residential boarding schools on Native Americans in our country,” Blong said.

Director Joseph Dokken said the information technology commission is also looking for an intern and commission members. Interested students can reach him at [email protected].

Intergovernmental Affairs Director Hannah Kelly said the commission is currently working on their legislative priority summary.

Student Organizations Commission Director Bradford Heap said the university has successfully transferred from Presence to Blugold Connect+.

The application powered by CampusGroups is a place for students and groups to connect, according to Heap.

“The major difference is probably how intuitive the app is, there really is a lot more you can do with it,” Heap said. “Big groups using it right now include student organizations, housing and residence life and other groups of similar caliber.”

Student Office of Sustainability Senate Director Sydney McGuine said the commission is looking for students to join the SOS voting board.

Director Brett Farmer said the university activities commission will be presenting “Shrek 2” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday on the Campus Mall as part of the campus film series.

Farmer also said Emm K, Emmett Mulrooney and Colin Bracewell will be performing from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday in The Cabin.

Vice President Nick Johnson re-introduced bill 66-B-3 to create an ad-hoc committee to fill vacant senate seats. The bill unanimously passed the senate by a vote of 20-0-2.

According to Johnson, the temporary committee will not be dissolved until all the vacancies are filled.

Johnson said there are currently nine applications turned in for 16 open senate seats, and students can apply on Blugold Connect+ by answering why they want to be a senator.

“I’m super excited for our seats to be filled and to have new faces,” President Rossellin Gaitan said.

Suresh, Farmer and Senator Josh Holness were appointed to the vacancy committee. Gaitan, Johnson and Senate Personnel Director Anakah Denison will also serve on the committee, as dictated by the senate constitution.

“There is an open senator seat (on the vacancy committee), but how it is now, as long as we have a majority for quorum, it works out and I have a lot of faith in them,” Johnson said.

Gaitan said the senate recently had their senate retreat with Vice Chancellor Grace Crickette, Vice Chancellor Olga Diaz and interim Dean of Students Greg Heinselman, which included learning parliamentary procedure, Safe Space training, and getting to know each other.

“Our session is off to a good start so far,” Gaitan said.

The senate adjourned at 6:37 p.m. and will reconvene at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sep. 26 in the Dakota Ballroom.

Kasper can be reached at [email protected].