Student Senate Makes Student Concerns Heard

by Abigail Wisniewski

Throughout the semester, the Student Senate has been busy with student life projects, choosing a charity and holding officer elections.

The Student Senate is a group made up of student representatives intended to improve the quality of life for students and make sure student voices are heard.

They serve as a communication line between students and leaders at Concordia. When student senators communicate student concerns to administrators, the administrators are made aware of issues that could use improvement. Administrators and the Senate are then able to communicate changes or give explanations of policies to students, such as President Friedrich’s address to the student body on tuition raises.

The Student Senate is made up of dorm and club representatives as well as four officers. Elections for the positions of president, vice president, secretary and treasurer for the 2016-2017 school year will take place in late April. Dorm and club representatives will be decided once classes resume in August.

Representatives brainstorm projects to improve life for Concordia students. One project the Student Senate has been working on is installing a basketball hoop outside of David.

The Senate was looking for ways to add to the recreational outdoor spaces on campus. Initially, there were talks of constructing an additional sand volleyball court or an entire basketball court, however the logistics of these projects made them not feasible.

Instead, Student Senate decided to put up a basketball hoop for students on the street between David and Jonathan. The hoop is set up and will soon feature lines painted on the asphalt to enhance the court. The Senate hopes that the hoop will provide an additional area for students to “hang out and play,” president Alicia Royuk said.

The Senate has also been working on fixing the speakers by the volleyball courts and getting new bike racks put up around campus. One bike rack was implemented by the cafeteria doors, and there are hopes that more will be put up by dorms.

Each year, the Senate sets aside part of its budget to donate to a non-profit Christian organization. Senators brainstorm and present their ideas on different charities to donate to and pitch why it would be a good cause.

This year, the Student Senate split a $492 donation between the Lincoln Pregnancy Center and Lighthouse’s 5K during Justice Week. Senator sophomore Lindsay Sampson presented to the Senate on the Lincoln Pregancy Center, which provides tests, ultra-sounds and options counseling for women. The Lighthouse 5K is meant to raise awareness and funds to help fight sex trafficking.

“Since both causes are really great causes and both are organizations that are in need of money, we actually voted to just split our funds equally,” Royuk said.