Committee chairs and officers announced Student Senate goals and upcoming events during an informal meeting Wednesday. Initially, the meeting could not be called to order because Senate did not have enough members present for quorum due to a conflict with sophomore class registration meetings.
Carroll Senator Nick Ruof of the Social Concerns Committee said that Stand Against Hate Week, which speaks out against discrimination directed at gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning students, will be held next week.
Events include an ally pledge campaign at the dining halls and LaFortune, a screening of the film, "Boys Don't Cry" and T-shirt distribution. The week will culminate with a Holocaust Memorial on South Quad next Friday, with a prayer vigil for hate crimes at the Grotto that evening.
According to former Social Concerns Chair Karen Koski, student government was involved in adding an academic panel on "History, Catholicism and Homosexuality," which will feature history professor Gail Bederman and theology professor Mary D'Angelo.
"The speakers were what we were looking for in shedding an academic and historical perspective on relationships and issues [on] how people view homosexuality," Koski said.
Gender Issues Committee co-chair Patrick Tighe announced that campus will hold Take Back the Night on later in April to spread awareness about rape and sexual assault.
"It's going to involve a rally and march around campus where men and women will actually speak out about how they've been sexually assaulted. It will end at the Grotto with a prayer service," he said.
In the University Affairs Committee, student body vice president Grant Schmidt said they are continuing to plan election initiatives to raise student awareness on 2008 campaign issues. He suggested polling students to gauge what issues students are interested in or to set up posters contrasting the candidates' issue positions. Schmidt also said that the committee will discuss how to bring popular speakers to campus.
"It's a formality that [Father Jenkins] did invite Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain to campus, and Hillary took up that offer by sending Chelsea," he said.
In addition to University Affairs, Schmidt said he is working with Community Relations chair Gus Gari to discuss a Domer Dollars campus proposal. Schmidt plans to discuss the proposal next week.
After enough senators arrived, Schmidt officially convened the meeting, and the Senate unanimously passed two resolutions that proposed adding amendments to the Student Body Constitution, which would require the president and vice president to take oaths of office.
In other Senate news:
uJoy Hwang, Residence Life Committee Chair, said her committee set their top seven priorities for the term, including free DVD rentals in the Huddle.
uHoward Hall is hosting a bone marrow registry in the Dooley Room from 12-8 p.m. today. This allows participants to become potential bone marrow donors if their DNA matches cancer patients in need of transplants.
uKeenan Hall will hold its annual Muddy Sunday mud volleyball tournament April 20. Teams can register on Keenan's website, and proceeds from the event will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
