Senate Hopes to see Outdoor Chapel Construction Completed Soon

Nora Betts

Sower Staff

Student Senate President Julia Witt on Tuesday called the Senate-sponsored outdoor chapel project a “successful venture” after two benches were installed on Saturday, and said she hoped to get the project completed over the coming two weekends.

The outdoor chapel project has been in the works for about a year. Supplies were ordered in the spring, the platform was constructed over the summer, and an electrical line was recently added to the site behind the David dorm. The project is made possible by a gift from King of Kings Lutheran Church in Omaha as well as Senate funds.

Witt said that digging the postholes, the first step for bench installation, proved to be more “time-consuming and labor-intensive” than she thought.  The project includes 30 benches with a total of 90 postholes.

The Senate will use $100 of its funding to rent a gas auger to dig the remaining postholes during a volunteer session set for Saturday. The Senate aims to be transparent about its spending history and may publish its quarterly budget report next week. The report will include $100 for the auger rental and $292.50 for additional concrete.

Treasurer Alec Johnston said that it is “likely that we’ll be working on [installing the benches] the following weekend as well.” After the benches are installed, the Senate hopes to include a fire pit and a cross made by The Center for Liturgical Art.

The Senate is pursuing additional endeavors. The Special Concerns Committee is working to “create a survey for Janzow-related concerns” according to Secretary Maddy Peters. She said the Senate cannot directly change things, such as Chartwells’ menu, but it can let them know what students want and advocate for those adjustments.

The Community Service Committee is considering challenging each campus club to do a service project. Prospective partners include Operation Christmas Child and Orphan Grain Train.

The Public Relations Committee will soon begin working on advertisements the Senate can use to gain greater involvement from the student body. Suggestions for a Senate promotional campaign raised during a Sep. 27 Open Forum included updated social media, interactive online posts, and club partnerships.