The Senate met on Sunday to discuss forming a committee to look into space allocation on campus and electing a new representative to the Community Enhancement and Emergency Fund.

After student and administrative communications, the Senate moved into Executive Officer Reports, hearing from Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees Grady Ward ’16, President-elect David Herbstritt ’17 and Executive Senator Paul Sindberg ’18. The senators then voted unanimously to pass a resolution on Indigenous People’s Day. In the resolution, the Senate recommends that the University refer to Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s Day to foster inclusivity on campus.

As part of its new business section, the Senate considered a proposal for a Senate Money Request that would allow the Senate to purchase supplies to be used among the clubs for various fundraisers and events. In a discussion on the SMR, Sindberg mentioned a potential three day limit for clubs borrowing supplies, which might include tablecloths and other reusable items. He added that the supplies would last through the semester and could be replenished if they prove popular with clubs.

Herbstritt then discussed the CEEF representative election. Current Chief of Staff Will Jones ’18 has been interacting with CEEF, and Charles River/567 Senator Valerie Timms ’16 has been active in CEEF, but the Senate wished to elect another CEEF member, per their bylaws. Herbstritt mentioned the possibility of emailing the Student Union Listserv to solicit candidates, but Ridgewood Senator Mitchell Beers ’17 raised the concern that doing so would delay committees’ ability to seek a CEEF grant. After a brief discussion, the senators agreed that they would vote for a CEEF representative over email to speed up the process.

Next, Herbstritt told the Senate that the Student Union is looking to form a committee to look into how student spaces are used on campus. He added that he is looking for five senators to join and work with Executive Board members to look into space allocation for clubs and groups.

These three items of new business will be voted on in the next meeting, per the Senate’s bylaws.

The Senate then moved into individual senator reports, highlights of which included a possible bylaw about considering club duality at the chartering phase, examining inactive clubs, hosting an end-of-the-year quad event and finalizing the sign for the planned meadow with help from an illustrator who works with the Walt Disney Company.

Class of 2019 Senator Nathan Greess then asked Herbstritt about a potential audit on the Student Union. Herbstritt answered that the audit — which would be self-conducted — is still in its infancy and is the result of the Student Union wanting to get a better handle on its finances.

In the open forum session, the Brandeis Hoot Features Editor and Representative-elect to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Jacob Edelman ’18 asked the senators why they regularly go into executive session and what topics they discuss. He requested that any senator with a topic to discuss in executive session give a vague explanation of their topic for the public record. Most senators responded to Edelman’s request with confusion, wondering how they could comply without breaking the Senate’s bylaws. Herbstritt argued that doing so would be unnecessary, given that everything the Senate discusses in executive session becomes public knowledge eventually. However, the senators did eventually agree to keep an unofficial record of their discussion as means of holding themselves accountable.

—Abby Patkin