The Student Senate meeting began at 6:01 p.m. on Monday in the Woodland Theater.

Billy Felz, the interim vice chancellor of enrollment management, presented application trends and retention rates at UW-Eau Claire compared to the rest of the UW System and possible upswing strategies. 

President Rossellin Gaitán said a group of senate members attended the Chippewa Valley Rally to lobby for the new Science and Health Sciences Building and other initiatives within the Chippewa Valley.

Gaitán, Vice President Brett Farmer, Intergovernmental Affairs Commission Director Hannah Kelly, Student Office of Sustainability Commission Senate Director Sydney McGuine, Senate Personnel Director Anakah Denison and senators Jake Hicks, Matthew Lehner, Peter Mayer and Sierra Szydel attended the lobbying day at the Wisconsin State Capitol.

Director Sahana Suresh said the Academic Affairs Commission will be holding an open forum for students to share their academic concerns from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5 and 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 6 in Davies Student Center.

Equity in Student Matters Commission Senate Director Josh Holness said the Multicultural Student Services will be hosting events throughout the month to celebrate Hmong Heritage Month.

Holness said there will be a Kick-off: Karaoke Night from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, and a Blugold Dialogue Series featuring alumna HaoPay Lee from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, both in the MSS Resource Center.

A Meet and Greet Event will be held with Hmong high school students from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, April 10 in the Critical Hmong Studies Resource Center and the Hmong Heritage Month Banquet will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26 in the Dakota Ballroom, according to Holness.

Holness also said the university isn’t hosting any events for Autism Awareness Month, but encouraged students to research autism spectrum disorder and neurodivergence. 

Kelly encouraged students to vote in the Wisconsin 2023 spring election on April 4 and said voting resources are available at myvote.wi.gov. 

University Activities Commission Director Zach Jacobson said KAATWALK will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 8 in The Cabin.

On Tuesday, April 18, Jacobson said Friendly Feud will return and “The Princess and the Frog” will be shown with beignets as part of the Campus Film Series.

Mascot Coordinator Kyle May said Blu will be attending Alpha Xi Delta’s 24-hour Teeter Totter-A-Thon starting at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 4. 

According to the Alpha Xi Delta website, the fundraiser supports the Eau Claire Area School District Homeless Program, FosterClub and StandUp for Kids.

Senator Brenna Strojinc introduced resolution 66-R-15 to call on UW-Eau Claire to notify and educate students about fraudulent activity occurring on their bank accounts.

Strojinc said she and her co-author Senator Sam Consiglio were advised by Grace Crickette, vice chancellor for finance and administration, to not include the name of the company involved in the alleged data breach because of the UW System’s contract with the company.

If the university does not notify students of the fraudulent activity and provide relevant educational resources, Strojinc said the resolution’s authors will.

Resolution 66-R-15 passed with a vote of 28-0-2.

A previous version of the resolution that was introduced and withdrawn, names AudienceView as the company allegedly involved in the fraudulent banking activity and remains published on the senate website. 

Student Organization Commission Director Bradford Heap introduced bill 66-B-13 to amend section 13, part 4, subsection 3 of the senate bylaws to have leftover segregated fee money moved to the special allocation fund.

Senator Mei Bean introduced bill 66-B-14 to provide support for the Campus Food Pantry through a raffle fundraiser at the Spring Block Party. The Campus Food Pantry has no annual budget and is not funded beyond fundraising and donations.

Bean also introduced bill 66-B-15 to place donation bins for the Campus Closet and Campus Food Pantry in residence halls.

Bean said the donation bins will create a more consistent flow of food and clothing donations, and students have the opportunity to get involved with the project and fulfill their service-learning requirement. 

Bills 66-B-13, 66-B-14 and 66-B-15 will be voted on at the next senate meeting.

Parliamentarian Thomas Miller said petitions for the senate election have begun and will continue through Friday. Students can get their petitions and rules packets from Program Coordinator Stephanie Pyykola.

Gaitán said if Pyykola is unavailable, anyone on the Elections Committee — Miller, Suresh, May, student Elizabeth TenBarge or herself — can accept completed petitions.

The senate adjourned at 8:27 p.m. and will reconvene at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 10 in the Dakota Ballroom.

Kasper can be reached at [email protected].