On Wednesday evening, senate convened for a meeting to reorganize the body. The meeting began with an opening prayer led by vice president Sonia Lumley-Murillo.
Following roll call and attendance, the senate heard executive announcements and clarified the voting procedure for incoming senators.
The senate next moved into general orders, beginning with discussion of plans to renew the Department of Student-Athlete Relations, which was suspended two years prior. Robbie Wollan, the nominee for director of the department, argued for its importance, highlighting the impact of evolving name, image and likeness (NIL) legislation on student-athletes.
“The NCAA is a very different world than it was two years ago,” Wollan said. “There’s going to be potentially 6,000 athletes nationwide who are going to be cut, and so there’s a lot of things that need to be addressed in the athletic world.”
According to Wollan, he wants the department to help build a stronger connection between Notre Dame student-athletes and broader students. Wollan noted that some of the problems student-athletes face create a “disconnect” between them and the rest of the student body. Wollan, a member of the football team, spoke to his own experiences when making his case for the proposed department.
“I came to school here, not wanting to add to that stereotype where it's the people you see with backpacks around campus and then all the other students ... I think that's really important for me coming in, being involved in campus, being involved in my dorm … especially with all the new things that are happening,” Wollan said.
The debate next moved toward the potential creation of the Department of Nutrition. Questions surrounding the proposed department primarily revolved around its specific role and how it would be distinguished from the already existing Department of Student Health and Wellness. Several senators provided clarity on the department’s proposed function.
“I would say the [Department of Student] Health and Wellness will focus more on mental health resources … as well as things like water quality, but there’s a lot more things in the like on campus as well,” student body president Jerry Vielhauer said. “I think we can all tell from our constituents that nutrition is a very big concern for everyone here on campus and is something that’s very important to everyone. We thought it made a lot of sense to have a department dedicated to that when there’s so much going on in that sphere.”
Julianna Marchese, the nominee for director of the Department of Nutrition, followed up on these statements, citing the importance of dining hall life and describing it as a place “where we communicate … learn and make our friendships.”
As questioning and debate wrapped up, the senate called for a vote on the creation of the two departments. Both passed, along with their corresponding senate nominees’ approvals.
Before adjourning, the senate voted on whether or not to extend the Committee on the Constitution. Sam Robinson, student union parliamentarian, was a strong proponent of the motion.
“I do think this would be a good addition ... Apparently, there is some current legislation on the horizon ... so this is just a way to create a forum that may happen outside of the senate meetings,” Robinson said.
