Student Senators were given petitions regarding the ROTC Presidential Pass In Review at their meeting Wednesday. The petitions, which came from the Senate's committee on Residence Life, ask for student body support in moving the annual ceremony to an outdoor location.
Three years ago, the Pass In Review was moved indoors to Loftus because of weather concerns. However, Pasquerilla West senator Jana Lamplota said during the meeting that protestors may have been another reason the administration decided to move the ceremony.
Traditionally, student peace groups hold protests every year during the Pass In Review against the presence of military on campus.
"Three years ago, [the Pass In Review] was moved inside, possibly to avoid protestors who would even lay down in front of [ROTC members] during the ceremony to stop them from marching," Lamplota said.
This year, the committee planning the ceremony has submitted a request for an outdoor location. Bill Kirk, associate vice president for student affairs, will make his decision regarding the ceremony's location within the next few weeks.
Lamplota explained that the purpose of the petition is to show the administration and Kirk that there is much support for the ceremony from the student body.
"I feel very strongly about this," she said. "I am willing to go door to door and explain [the petition] to residents. We want a lot of signatures to present to Bill Kirk to show him there is a lot of student body support for this issue."
Student body vice president Jeremy Lao asked Senators to put in a "good-faith effort" to accumulate signatures from students in their dorms.
Cadet Kevin Conley, the ROTC Tri-Military Commander, also spoke to senators regarding the issue.
"[ROTC members] work very hard all year," commented Conley. "It would be nice to have [the Pass In Review] in a more central location so more people can enjoy it."
Senators will be collecting signatures for a week in their dorms, and the signed petitions will be brought back to the Senate at their meeting next Wednesday to be collected and presented to Kirk.
This year's Pass In Review is scheduled for sometime in the late spring semester, and it is open to the student body. Conley was unsure of the exact date.
In other Senate news:
- Four Senators were elected to serve as representatives from the Student Senate to the new Council of Representatives. Keenan senator Dan Zenker, Lewis senator Claire Berezowitz, Zahm senator Drew Sandstrum, and Off-Campus senator Amy Chambers will take their seats on the Council at a meeting Monday. Each Senator pledged to fully represent the Senate and its opinions on the Council.
- Dave Brenner, president of "The Shirt" committee, spoke briefly to Senators regarding the search for a new "The Shirt" president. Brenner asked Senators to "actively seek out people ... who you think would be good for this position." Brenner commented that he would like to see a broad applicant pool with a lot of talented people for the position. Applications for president of "The Shirt" are available in the Student Activities Office on the third floor of LaFortune and are due Nov. 7.
