The Class of 2012’s senior gift will be a donation to the Emergency Relief Scholarship Fund, which helps students who are within a certain number of credits from graduating pay tuition after experiencing a sudden financial crisis.
Class of 2012 Council President Stephanie Eichmann said the council was able to raise approximately $500 at an event held at Public Tenley Nov. 11, in her report to the Student Government Undergraduate Senate Dec. 4.
The group’s goal is to have 200 seniors contribute to the gift.
Eichmann also explained how the group plans to raise more money. Events are difficult, she said, because they must balance spending a minimal amount of money while planning events that would make people want to attend. The group also plans to use Phonathon to call parents of seniors and encourage them to donate.
The Senate also voted at the Dec. 4 meeting, the last meeting of this semester, to support investigations into lengthening Terrace Dining Room hours and expanding meal swipes to cover all Bon Appétit-owned dining facilities, including Sushi and Pronto.
School of International Service Sen. Rory Slatko, the bill’s sponsor, said TDR’s current hours are inconvenient to students who have jobs or late-night classes. Expanding TDR’s nighttime hours might encourage students to buy bigger meal plans, generating more revenue for the program, he said.
“They’re all owned by Bon Appétit,” he said of food vendors in Mary Graydon Center. “If they can take meal swipes at the Tavern or Salsa, why not the other places?”
Some members of the Senate raised concerns about whether this would place an unfair burden on dining facilities workers. Slatko addressed these qualms by explaining that Eagle’s Nest is able to remain open until 2 a.m., so there is staff available for extended hours at other dining areas.
The Senate also passed Slatko’s second bill, which encourages improvements to the EagleBuck$ program.
The bill advocates for either a student-staffed department or an administration position that could assist with the maintenance and function of the program. Their responsibilities, according to Slatko, would include expanding the number of off-campus locations that take EagleBuck$.
The Senate also passed a bill sponsored by Class of 2015 Sen. Patrick Kelly to create an LGBT Studies minor in the College of Arts and Sciences.
This minor would encompass a series of classes regarding the history, contributions and development of the LGBT community, according to Kelly.
