The 14th GUSA Senate set forth its goals for the transition period in an act passed during its June 3 meeting.
The legislation was sponsored by Senate transition leadership, Chair Juan Martinez (SFS ’20), Vice-chair Samantha Moreland (COL ’21) and Chair of Ethics and Oversight Leo Teixeira (COL ’21). The goals fell into the main areas of policy, advocacy, communication, and accountability. Notably, they asked senators to spend at least two hours a week on GUSA related work during the summer and called for a transition report to be produced.
In a further effort to pursue Senate goals, Sen. Zev Burton (SFS ’22) introduced an act that would have allowed for the hiring of Senate advisory staff by senators. He said he hoped the official positions would encourage more students to become involved with the GUSA Senate. The resolution failed.
Sens. Olivia Kleier (SFS ’22) and Jessica Richards (COL ’20) expressed concerns the position could lead to senators hiring their friends, or people seeking out the position only to pad a resume. Texiera agreed, saying he generally agreed with the idea, but that the resolution was too open ended.
The Senate also discussed the Board of Directors meeting on June 6. Student representatives to the Working Group on Student Affairs, Eliza Lafferty (COL ’21) and Casey Doherty (COL ’20), presented three topics they wished to bring to the administration.
These topics included instating the reparatory fee of $27.20 that students voted for in April, students input in the development of the Office of Student Equity and Inclusion (OSEI), and transparency in response to the college admissions scandal.
The creation of the OSEI was announced in May, and Lafferty and Doherty plan to ask for inclusion of the student body in its further development, regarding goals and the office’s relationship with Georgetown Scholars Program, the Community Scholars Program, and the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access.
With regard to the admissions scandal, Lafferty and Doherty said it appeared that students appreciated action being taken against current students involved. They decided, with the Senate, that they would ask about possibly revoking already issued degrees and find out more about what that process would entail.
The Senate also confirmed nominees to the Cultural Climate Survey Advisory Committee, which was created in their May 20 meeting. The committee will advise Georgetown in the development of a cultural climate survey, similar to the annual Sexual Assault and Misconduct Sruvey. The new representatives are Sonia Adjroud (SFS ‘20) and Saham Ali (COL ‘21), and the Senate Liaison is Daniella Sanchez (COL ’22).
The Senate will continue to have remote meetings throughout the summer.
