Student Senate

Senate updates Undergraduate Council Budget Policy

The Student Senate approved a change to the Undergraduate Council Budget Policy to clarify how class dues will be distributed to class councils.

Undergraduate President Ria Massoni ’24 presented a motion to formalize policy that was already in practice. When a first-year student matriculates, their class dues go to the Freshman cohort’s class council. Every subsequent year, their class dues go to that same cohort’s class council. Students who graduate in five years will have their fifth year dues go to the current senior class council. Any transfer students would be evaluated by the Institute to determine their appropriate class cohort and where to direct funds.

When asked by Vice Grand Marshal Alexander Patterson ’23 why the formalization was necessary, Massoni responded that there had previously been confusion about how money was allocated to class councils. Prior Undergraduate Presidents told class councils that allocations were based on credit status. “People were upset because let’s say you are considered a freshman but you have extra credits when you come, then your money could be going to the sophomore class council” she said. The change was to also prevent any future confusion on how Union dues are distributed to the class councils.

Senator Ben Viner ’24 asked when this change would realistically go into effect. Massoni clarified that the change is already in practice. She also reiterated that the motion was to put the current practice in writing and was not a policy change. The motion passed unanimously 11-0-0.

During the meeting, Graduate Senator Alexander Lutsevich mentioned the formation of the Cognitive Science Graduate Student Association, which “aims to represent graduate students of the cognitive science department.” Additionally, Treasurer Ibrahim Ali ‘25 held a presentation on budgeting for next year. Ali mentioned that the Senate has roughly $11,000 lying around with no projects to direct those funds to. He urged the other senators to come up with project proposals that would benefit the student body so the money would not go to waste.

Lastly, Web Technologies Group chair Gabriel Jacoby-Cooper ‘24 briefly mentioned that his team was updating the shuttle trackers to improve accuracy. Jacoby-Cooper did not provide an exact completion date, but stated that an event for the updates would be announced in the near future.

This Student Senate meeting was held on October 5. The Student Senate meets every Wednesday at 8pm in the Student Government Suite.