At last week’s Student Senate meeting, the previous Academic Affairs Committee Chairperson Griffin Oliver ’27 addressed several issues surrounding the definition of the Vice Grand Marshal position as well as the need to maintain a higher level of scrutiny of Senate’s policies and bylaws. He described how VGMs of the past have taken a more open interpretation of what the role entails, leading other responsibilities of the position to become neglected. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of senators maintaining a high level of understanding and being well-versed in policies when representing Senate. In regards to such concerns, he brought forth an amendment to Senate’s bylaws titled the “Rules and Administration Committee & VGM Meiosis Amendment.”

In order to balance the responsibilities of the VGM, the motion called to split the role into two separate positions—the Vice Grand Marshal for External Affairs and the Vice Grand Marshal for Internal Affairs. The VGMEA is to be tasked with managing campus relations, overseeing and assisting with senate advocacy and committee activities, and acting as a liaison towards institute administrators. The VGMIA is to focus on administration within the Senate, such as training , managing relations between Senate and other Union organizations, and acting as the Grand Marshal in their absence. Furthermore, if the Grand Marshal were to leave the position prematurely for any reason, the VGMIA would serve as the Acting Grand Marshal whilst searching for a replacement. 

The second half of the amendment targeted concerns about the enforcement of Senate’s bylaws as well as its initiatives to pass policies improving its effectiveness. In regards to such, the motion called to establish the Rules and Administration Committee whose primary purpose would be to oversee the administration of Senate. The RAC would be tasked with enforcing bylaws, writing and suggesting new policy as necessary, pushing to fill vacant chairperson positions, acting as senate’s historians, and prioritizing the upkeep and continual improvement of Senate. In order to avoid a power struggle between this new committee and the VGMIA, the VGMIA is to chairperson the RAC.

Oliver advocated for this motion by describing the benefit of being fluent in policy as a senator, as well as the need to relieve some pressure on the Grand Marshal by creating more auxiliary support in both the realms of external and internal issues. He also stated that simply reestablishing the Rules and Elections Committee wouldn’t be enough to cover bylaw issues within Senate as the potential committee would be overworked with already overseeing elections. After brief discussion, the motion passed 18-0-1.

Afterwards, Senate moved on to committee chairperson appointments. This meeting saw the reelection of multiple chairs, including Shruthi Anandraman ’27 for the Residential Life and Dining Committee, Mia Stryahalaleck ’28 for the Community Relations Committee, Aaron Niyazov ’27 for the Web Technologies Group, and Cee Ray ’27 as Treasurer, that all passed with unanimous consent.

 As for new faces on Senate, Emily Lin ’29 ran for Senate Communications and Engagement Committee. Using her background in filmmaking and passion for campus beautification and unity across the student body, she explained her initiatives to transform the Student Government Instagram and promote student interconnection. She plans to take a more formal approach to posting on social media while drawing on her experience in cinematography to showcase beauty on campus as well as in the local area. Furthermore, she aims to promote collaboration by working with other clubs on Instagram posts. Outside of social media, she also wants to start a project similar to the “love locks” on fences in South Korea and Germany with ribbons or nametags on fencing around the Johnson Engineering Center and the Darrin Communications Center. Lin was voted as chairperson with unanimous consent.

Stanley Goodwin ’30G, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Rochester Institute of Technology, ran for chairperson of the Student Life Committee. Using his experiences conversing with RIT administration, he explained his goals of advocating for disabled students on campus and combating inaccessibility on campus such as the lack of elevators in many freshman residence halls. He also aims to see through current SLC projects such as advocating for preferred names on SIS, and claimed he would prioritize those surrounding Title IX issues. Goodwin was voted in with 12-0-5 approval from the Senate.

This Senate meeting took place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. The Senate meets every Tuesday at 6 pm in the Shelnutt Gallery.