New Student Senate Convenes

Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by Cristina Alba in Campus

Is the internet speed on campus driving you crazy? Newton, are you tired of your driers being out of commission? How many hungry late night students are tired of not finding decent snacks in the machines? Soccer fans tired of watching soccer in chairs and wet grass? Do the noises emerging from the heaters in Irwin frighten you? Well you are not the only ones taking notice. This year’s SA Senate has taken note of some of the many problems and necessary improvements that are on this campus.

In the first Senate meeting, all of your elected senators came very professionally dressed, and instilled an air of professionalism. Our EVP, Warrie Layon, quickly took to the housekeeping that is customary of the introductory Senate meeting, explained rules and expected conduct while in senate, and also explained to us the use of Senate’s new twitter accounts for each individual Senator.

Despite not getting paid, your senators have codes of conducts, rules and responsibilities to which they must adhere. There are also expectations on how much they contribute to the Senate floor. This includes presenting at least two bills a quarter.

This moves us to the next portion of Senate: the bills. The Senate was presented with a very important bill having to due with excess funds that the Senate has been saving for the past 10-15 years. This money was re-distributed by vote so that it could be better used to benefit you, the constituents of this Senate.

In addition to the bill that was passed, each senator was asked to give a possible area that needs attention by the Senate. All the problems previously mentioned, as well as others, were discussed and given thought. However, since senators are representatives of you, the students, please give us your suggestions. We are on Twitter, we are in your dorms, in the caf’, in the library, in your classes, so just let us know and share your concerns with us.

The Senate is here to help the students, to make life here on campus enjoyable, and to make it a place where you like to learn. If you have a special project in mind, if you see something that needs fixing, come to Senate. Senate does not just spend money on SA related activities, but it passes bills to benefit you, the student, and it does not necessarily mean that it will always be money-related. It could be a policy suggestion to the administration or a general improvement for the campus.

Look for frequent updates on Senate and remember: please share your needs with your senators!

A Department for the Students

Posted on 11. Oct, 2009 by Cristina Alba in Feature

Student Services is a place behind Graff, sandwiched in between records, the staircase and the candle. It is a nice office like any other on campus, yet a little more maze-like in finding. Yet, what differs in this office and the others is the business that is conducted there. One hears the name student services thrown around every once in a while, and their seal of poster approval is on most papers taped to windows.

So what really does student services do? Well for one, their director is Dr. Lisa Bissel Paulson. In addition according to their section on PUC’s website, which, much like their office, is wedged somewhere in all the links, “Student Services is the gateway to a wide variety of services, opportunities, and information offered to students across campus,” but that’s about all the information you’ll get.

Also, every single page of the perhaps outdated student handbook is posted in PDF format for easy access. According to the handbook, the bookstore is open on Sundays; sadly this late book buyer discovered that the bookstore was not open this previous Sunday. In addition I looked for the Chinese Student Association club sign up at lunch and did not find it, along with the missing CSA, the African club, Hawaiian club, Game club and Investment clubs are also, well, just not even heard of much anymore.

Along with outdated club information, the process for forming a club is well, just absent from all the pages. The only information included is under the section titled “Right to Assemble,” it states, “Students are free to Organize and join associations…consistent with …policies of the college. Each organization will present…a nominee for faculty advisor.” For anyone that has tried to form a club, when they go to the office, they are directed to a set of paperwork they need to fill out and the process begins.

However vague some of the information regarding student services is, although omitted from the website, the truth is they do provide clubs with use of campus facilities free of charge and work in conjunction with the TLC, Café and Residence Halls and various other departments to improve student life here on campus. We wanted to bring information to the students about organizations on campus that can be of help to them in their social and academic pursuits.

We tried to get a hold of the VP of Student services, Dr. Paulson,but she was not available for interview and due to scheduling has yet to answer some of our questions about Student Services. Until then the questions raised about the missing clubs, how to possibly revive them and what else exactly student services does will have to wait. So if you’ve got any questions about school policy good luck finding it in your handbook, if that doesn’t work then an RA, Dean, Academic Advisor, or  professor will have to suffice.