At the Oct. 24 Senate meeting, Sarah Geller '13 was confirmed and sworn in as the director of community advocacy. Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees Heddy Ben-Atar '11 presented the Senate with a draft of the PowerPoint presentation she prepared and plans to present to the Board of Trustees tomorrow, which focuses on financial aid changes, Dining Services issues, the importance of a University pool and the need to make the University more "fun" socially.

It was unclear whether Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees Adam Hughes '12 will present with Ben-Atar because he has yet to be confirmed by the Board as a student member. The Senate unanimously endorsed the presentation.

Senator for the Class of 2011 Abraham Berin presented on behalf of the Senate's Services Committee concerning shuttle bus services for Thanksgiving weekend.

Berin stated that, per bus, it would cost the Senate $300 for service to Boston's South Station or Logan International Airport and $1,200 per bus for service to New York City's Penn Station.

The senators then discussed the logistics and routes of the services it would provide. The Senate decided that there would be no bus service to Long Island, as students who live there could use train service to get there after taking any New York-bound bus.

During the discussion, Senator for the Class of 2011 Michael Newborn mentioned that Article 6, Section 1 of the Union Bylaws states that the committee must provide bus service to "Logan Airport, New York City, and Long Island preceding Thanksgiving Break and Spring/Passover Recess."

Eventually, Senator for the Class of 2014 Mitchell Schwartz drafted and proposed an amendment to the Bylaws, which changed the language of that section to read that the committee must provide bus service "including but not limited to Logan Airport and New York City, preceding Thanksgiving Break." The amendment was approved unanimously.

The majority of senators expressed their support through a straw poll for a plan that would offer transportation, without any return trips, from the University: one New York-bound bus, one Logan-bound bus and one South Station-bound bus on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, as well as one New York-bound bus, two Logan-bound buses and two South Station-bound buses on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Berin said that he would bring the approved plan back to the Senate in the form of a Senate Money Resolution next week.

Seth Grande '12 and Marisa Turseky '13 asked the Senate to formally support the campaign to have Dining Services provide only cage-free eggs.

Grande mentioned that Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 met with Director of Dining Services Aaron Bennos to discuss potential price increases in meal plans for exclusive use of cage-free eggs, which would be approximately $20, although Grande was unsure as to whether this was the per-year or per-semester price increase.

The Senate unanimously voted in favor of issuing a resolution of support.

Linda Li '13 presented to the Senate on behalf of Clubs in Service. Li urged the senators to involve their constituencies to help with advertising its efforts.


-Hillel Buechler