Editor’s Note: Yoshi Gaitan uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. For clarity, the Spectator refers to Gaitan with she/her pronouns.

Student Senate reconvened Monday with several acknowledgments and discussed composting and adding a new committee.

Olivia Schenzel, Chief of Staff, presented to the body about outreach hours. Each senator is required to log three total outreach hours that are able to be verifiably Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity-centered. Equity in Student Matters Director Mengcha Moua showed the Senate how to find Tier 2 EDI workshops. 

Per the Student EDI Development webpage, “Tier 2 EDI programming provides participants with the conceptual framework, opportunities for self-reflection and group discussion, and skill-building experience necessary for being an effective advocate for equity and diversity.”

Other ways would be through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Equity in Student Matters, as well as through the UW-Eau Claire social media: Blugold Connect App and the campus calendar. 

Senators this semester only need to attend for two outreach hours, since it is already over a month into the semester. 

The Senate approved the meeting minutes from last week and moved into reports. 

Student Body President Jaden Mikoulinskii spoke in her report on the lack of reapportionment that has been done by the previous three sessions. The Senate Executive Board seeks to use its executive privilege to retroactively correct this previous oversight and reallocate one seat on the senate from off-campus to on-campus.

UW-Eau Claire will also be welcoming other UW-System student senators next week.

The Senate shared a moment of silence in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, per the request of Communications Director Yoshi Gaitan in her report.

The Information and Technology Commission budget had more carryover than expected. Brett Swanson will be resigning as the director of ITC, as well as a Senator, with his last day being Oct. 29. He will still serve on the ITC. 

Brett Farmer, Director of University Activities Commission, spoke about this week’s homecoming activities, such as the parade, Varsity Night Live, and campus games. More information can be found here. He also announced that there will not be any Cabin Concerts or films in the UAC Film Series due to homecoming week. 

Farmer  also announced that Tai Verdes will be coming to campus on Oct. 20. Tickets are available now and are limited to UW-Eau Claire students only. 

Mikoulinskii asked to amend the new business agenda to move Resolution 65-R-10 to the first motion of new business. This resolution would require any official university department, office, or organization to tag Blu the Blugold’s social media profile when posting appropriate media. 

This resolution passed the senate body by a 22-0-2 vote. 

The next matter of business was Bill 65-B-1 in support of allocating a recurring $16,000 to allow off-campus students access to composting through Earthbound Environmental Solutions. This would allow 100 off-campus households access to curbside composting.

Student Office of Sustainability Director Maddie Loeffler authored this bill, and as this is a bill, the body does not vote on it nor move into the speaker list until the next meeting.

Finance Director Nick Johnson shared his concerns on this bill based on UW System Administrative Policy 820, which describes the usage of Segregated University Fees. Johnson motioned to withdraw the bill, which did not pass a vote of 2-19-2.

The Senate continued in the question-and-answer period and then moved to a five-minute recess. 

The Senate reconvened and moved on to Bill 65-B-2, which aims to allocate funds to create and provide training for the Blugold Commitment Differential Tuition Committee on how to vet proposals by the Academic Affairs Director and representatives from the Provost’s Office.

This bill was authored by Elizabeth TenBarge, the Academic Affairs Director. Membership of this committee would be open to the student body at large. 

The body moved into a question-and-answer period and will vote on this bill next week. 

Senator Rosa Gómez introduced resolution 65-R-7 in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month. Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Gómez noted Student Senate has promised to support the Latinx community and cannot properly support this community without this acknowledgment. 

This resolution passed by a vote of 20-0-2.

Eddie Noyes, an on-campus senator, introduced Resolution 65-R-8  in celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which was celebrated Monday. This is not recognized as a state holiday in Wisconsin. Gaitan noted that this legislation is especially important, as UW-Eau Claire does occupy Indigenous land of the Ojibwe and Dakota Nations.

Resolution 65-R-8 passed by a vote of 20-0-2.

Moua introduced Resolution 65-R-9 in celebration of National Coming Out Day, which was also celebrated Monday. Several Senators, including Gaitan, said UW-Eau Claire is known for being an LGBTQ safe space, and that it is important for the Senate and the University to acknowledge the community. 

Resolution 65-R-9 passed with amendments by a vote of 20-0-2. 

The body then moved into personnel matters and announcements. 

The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

The 65th session general assembly will reconvene at their standing meeting time at 6 p.m. next Monday, Oct. 18 in the Dakota Ballroom.

Kelley can be reached at [email protected].