During Wednesday’s Notre Dame student senate meeting, student body president Dawson Kiser delivered a state of the union address and a new order on committee names was passed.
Student body vice president Maeve Miller began with an executive announcement about two events on Thursday, Nov. 21. Miller announced “safe space” sign tabling would take place in Duncan Student Center beginning at 12:30 p.m. and a co-sponsored global community night would be open to all starting at 6:30 p.m. on the second floor of the LaFortune Student Center.
Miller then called upon Kiser to address the student senate.
“To the student senate of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations for the tireless work you all have endeavored this semester,” Kiser said. “As I said in April, you as the Senate, have the great privilege to drive change that elevates the student experience and cater to our needs. So thank you for your efforts.”
Kiser acknowledged the strength of the “state of the union” and the need to celebrate the work of various of the branches of student government. Kiser encouraged listeners to think about how the student body could improve their charitability and “bridge building.”
Kiser gave a lengthy acknowledgement of the 2024-25 academic year developments in student government. His list included raising awareness about the Red Zone, hosting the first-ever Dorm Day, improving campus facilities such as water quality, increasing awareness about microphone use in large classrooms and giving a presentation on “fostering a shared sense of belonging” to the Board of Trustees.
Kiser asked listeners to reflect on Fr. Edward Sorin’s words in which he stated Notre Dame would be a powerful means for good.
“May we, through our positions of leadership, continue to challenge Notre Dame to more fully make it the powerful means for good we know it all can be,” he said.
Kiser concluded his address by reminding listeners of his support for them and to “stay grounded in Jesus Christ.”
A new order on name changes of the judicial council Student Union Ethics Commission and elections committee to ethics and elections councils was proposed and moved from general orders into questioning. Keenan Hall senator Matthew Amante asked judicial council president Hunter Brooke a clarifying question about the order, inquiring if there would be more than nominal changes to the groups.
Brooke answered that the jurisdiction of the committees would not be altered and affirmed the substantive change was the renaming of the two groups. The senate moved into debate shortly after.
“I think the domains as they stand are kind of confusing to people, I got tripped up on them like 30 seconds ago, so I think standardization will just help everyone who is engaged with … these body to have a better idea of what they are and what they do,” Brooke said.
After two friendly amendments and one question, the order passed.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the Student Union Ethics Commission and elections committee to ethics and elections councils were part of student government. The commission and the committee are part of judicial council.
