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Spotlight on Student Senate (Part 2) In his role as Chair of Student Life, Lucio Tolentino acted as a liaison between the Student Senate and the Faculty-Student Life Committee. Additionally, he conveyed the concerns of class and hall representatives and presented suggestions for change and independently pursued projects to improve student life in general. “These included ideas like more permanent recreational activities, making the college more green, and simply making Cornell more enjoyable” said Tolentino. During his time as Chair of Student Life, Tolentino spent about 4-6 hours a week in his role and is most proud of his work organizing the shuttles that took students to Iowa City last fall. The two shuttles, one to downtown Iowa City and the other to Coral Ridge Mall, were a success and Tolentino hopes this service continues in the future. Next year Tolentino will attend graduate school at the Colorado School of Mines to study computer science. He encourages other students to get involved in Student Senate as a way to voice their concerns with Cornell. “Student Senate is the organization that interacts with faculty in a way that effects change. It is one thing to complain about the food service, programming that PAAC does, or the state of the bathrooms and it is another thing to try and make it better” Tolentino commented. Tolentino advises the new senators to take the time to figure out their role as a senator before diving into projects. “Figure out what is most important, and what is feasible, and then pursue those things” advised Tolentino. He also encourages members to pick their battles, learn Robert’s Rule of Order, and fulfill their own role on the senate. As Chair of Organizations, Jordan Stacey coordinated the review of all official documents for each recognized student organization on campus. “This included conferring with leaders of clubs about the structure and content of constitutions in weekly meetings at which the committee and the student leader read through the constitution and suggest changes and/or revisions. When a new student organization applies for official recognition, the chair, along with the committee, meets with the leader and determines whether to approve the club or not, based on their intended purpose, constitution, and the seeming overall benefit to campus life” explained Stacey. Stacey spent about 3-4 hours a week in his role, including a variety of meetings, contact with organization leaders and working on reviewing the senate constitution. Last fall, Stacey drafted a change in the organization by-laws to require new student organizations who are seeking recognition from senate to file a petition with signatures of 10% of the student body. “This petition serves as a test of longevity; it is a helpful indicator to gauge the seriousness of the organization, increase the visibility of the creation of this club, and hopefully increases students’ knowledge that $180 of their money goes to Student Senate to be given out to these clubs” explained Stacey. This change was approved by the senate and is now a requirement of all new organizations. In the future, Stacey plans to be a teacher or a performer and to increase the well-being of the world. He encourages student to get involved in senate to “experience the inadequacies of government, argue over policy ambiguity, waddle through the sluggishness of congressional progress, and meet amazing people along the way.” Stacey’s advice to future senators is simple: “Put on a smile. You’re gonna need it.” Nick Light’s primary responsibility as Chair of Appropriations was to manage the student activity fee. “The appropriations committee is responsible for acting as the first set of eyes before any funding requests are sent to Senate. We strive to make sure that student organizations are finding the lowest cost options by looking at multiple sources for quotes, that organizations have adequately planned for an event, and that the request is feasible based on our budget” explained Light. Under Light’s leadership, a new subcommittee called the audit committee was created to help student organizations follow appropriations procedures and ensure that student funds are spent properly. After graduation Light is considering a career as an actuary or IT professional, perhaps participating in the Peace Corps or attending graduate school directly after Cornell. “First and foremost, students should get involved with Student Senate to help make positive changes at Cornell and empower other students to help with that process. Student Senate is also a great way to help develop leadership skills and network with school administrators” said Light, encouraging Cornell students to be involved in Student Senate. Light advises future senators to set manageable goals, to keep an open mind, and adapt to the needs and concerns of students. Congratulations to the 2009-2010 Senate Executive Board! For more information, visit the Student Senate website. |
Article by Laura Obrycki |
Chair of Student Life: Lucio Tolentino’09
Chair of Organizations: Jordan Stacey ‘10
Chair of Appropriations: Nick Light ‘10