Student Senate passed a resolution Wednesday proposing the continuance of the Campus Bike Shop and approved three students for student government positions during the 2012-2013 term.
Student body president Pat McCormick also delivered his third and final State of the Student Union address, as required by the undergraduate student body constitution.
The resolution asked the University to "take definitive actions to provide or make space for a Campus Bike Shop" before the start of the fall 2012 semester. It requested the shop be a free service and "serve students sustainably by using salvaged parts and the labor of student mechanics."
Senate approved sophomore Elizabeth Garvin and freshman Anh Ta for assistant student union treasurers. The group also approved sophomore James Slaven for director of publicity of the Student Union Board.
Senate approved junior and current student body secretary Katie Baker for chief of staff.
The group selected two recipients of the Irish Clover Award from eight nominations. The award is given to students, faculty, staff or administrators who have demonstrated exemplary service to student government.
Senate also chose one recipient of the Frank O'Malley Teaching Award from five nominations of four faculty members. The honor is intended for a professor who has had an outstanding impact on undergraduate education at the University.
Student body vice president and president-elect Brett Rocheleau said the recipients of these awards will be announced Tuesday at the Student Leadership Banquet.
In his State of the Student Union address, McCormick said his administration united the various branches of student government to increase cohesion.
"Our Student Senate now brings every stakeholder within the Student Union together in one meeting to expand inclusion as fully as possible in the advocacy of student government," he said.
The administration enhanced constituent services and improved student safety, McCormick said.
"This year, we held regular meetings with local law enforcement representatives, held a Safety Summit on campus and a variety of other events aimed at educating students about how to stay safe and serve as good neighbors in the South Bend community," he said. "We are especially grateful to both Notre Dame students and local police for a dramatically improved relationship between the student body and law enforcement."
McCormick said the recently enacted Indiana Lifeline Law will make medical amnesty state law July 1.
"This is a law for which students across Indiana have long advocated, and we are grateful to state legislators for their recognition that in emergency situations, student safety has to be the first priority," he said.
Student government also advanced an agenda "for students in charting a course for the Notre Dame project," McCormick said. He said parts of this effort have included a sustainability initiative, the Playing for Peace tournament and food security in South Bend.
"We have been united by our hope that something new was possible this year, something that has never happened before," McCormick said. "It was the hope that students might write a new chapter in Notre Dame's history."
