Student Senate: Difference between revisions

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The Senate is currently in its 57th session, and is presided over by the 160th Grand Marshal, Jordan Krishnayah ‘28.

== History ==

The Student Senate was predated by the [[Student Council]] under the 1947 and 1969 Union Constitutions. As originally created in the 1970 Constitution, it was made up of the elected members of the [[Graduate Council]] and [[Undergraduate Council]], and was presided over by the Grand Marshal. This meant that in 1970, there were 24 voting members of the Student Senate;

* The Undergraduate Council;

** One representatives from each of the four classes

** One representative from each of the [[Independent Council]] and Interfraternity Council, at the time both subsidiary organizations of the UC

* The Graduate Council{{efn|The GC also included five "at-large members", but these appointed and so not members of the Senate}};

** Representatives from the schools; two for the [[School of Science]], two for the [[School of Engineering]], one from the [[School of Management]], and one jointly representing the [[School of HASS]] and the [[School of Architecture]].

By 1974, the structure of the Senate had changed once more to resemble closely its modern structure. It included six graduate Senators, four from each of the undergraduate classes, and one Senator from each of the IC and IFC (who were now subsidiary to the Senate rather than the Undergraduate Council).

==Membership==

=== Voting===

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==Structure and Operations ==

The Senate's ~~role is~~ to ~~lorem ipsum~~

The Senate occupies a dual role in the Union's governance structure. It implements overarching policy for the Union, setting general priorities and rules (as compared to the Executive Board's day-to-day management of Union affairs), but also advocates on behalf of the student body on various issues not directly related to the Union as an organization. In the Senate's earliest days, it emphasized the policy-making approach more heavily, but since at latest the 1990s it has primary focused on student advocacy. It also holds a variety of checks on other branches of the Union, including but not limited to;

* The ability to propose constitutional amendments, subject to approval by the students, and to approve or deny all changes in the bylaws of all four other branches;

* The sole right to determine the recommendation of the Activity Fee;

* The ability to confirm the appointment of, and remove, members of the Executive Board and Judicial Board (with the exception of the UC-EBoard and GC-EBoard Liaisons); and

* The ability to set policy on selection and removal of all positions in the Union.

Most of the Senate's functioning comes from its various committees, each led by a Chair. Senators are required to attend committees, but they are open to any member of the Union to join and contribute. Committees generally meet weekly during the regular school year and every other week (or less frequently) during the summer.

===Committees ===

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|+ Senate Committees

|-

! Committee !! Established !! Incumbent Chair

! Committee !! Established !! Jurisdiction!! Incumbent Chair

|-

| [[Academic Affairs Committee]] || 1981? || Zach Nobles '27

| [[Academic Affairs Committee]] || 1981? || Curricula, advising, registration, research, and professional development||Zach Nobles '27

|-

| [[Community Relations Committee]] || 2001? || Mia Stryhalaleck '28

| [[Community Relations Committee]] || 2001? || Relations with the local community and RPI clubs ||Mia Stryhalaleck '28

|-

| [[Facilities and Services Committee]] || 2013 || Charlie Fowle '29

| [[Facilities and Services Committee]] || 2013 || The Institute's facilities and auxillary services || Charlie Fowle '29

|-

| [[Elections Commission]] || 2018 || Lauren Antao '28 ''(Acting)''

| [[Elections Commission]] || 2018 || Elections and elections policy || Lauren Antao '28 ''(Acting)''

|-

| [[Residential Life and Dining Committee]] || 2025 || Shruthi Anandraman '28

| [[Residential Life and Dining Committee]] || 2025 || On- and off-campus residential life, dining, and residential services ||Shruthi Anandraman '28

|-

| [[Rules and Administration Committee]] || 2026 || Griffin Oliver '27

| [[Rules and Administration Committee]] || 2026 || Union policy affairs and ongoing maintenance and improvement of the Senate || Griffin Oliver '27

|-

| [[Senate Communications and Engagement Committee|Senate Communications and<br/>Engagement Committee]] || 2025 || Emily Lin '29

| [[Senate Communications and Engagement Committee|Senate Communications and<br/>Engagement Committee]] || 2025 || The Senate's public relations and outreach ||Emily Lin '29

|-

| [[Student Life Committee]] || 2007 || Stanley Goodwin 'G

| [[Student Life Committee]] || 2007 || Student rights and well-being, including Title IX policy and the Student Handbook || Stanley Goodwin 'G

|-

| [[Union Annual Report Committee]] || 2015 || ''(Vacant)''

| [[Union Annual Report Committee]] || 2015 || Creating the Union Annual Report ||''(Vacant)''

|-

| [[Web Technologies Group]] || 2005? || Aaron Niyazov '28

| [[Web Technologies Group]] || 2005? || Overseeing the Union's web infrastructure || Aaron Niyazov '28

|-

|}

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 The Senate is currently in its 57th session, and is presided over by the 160th Grand Marshal, Jordan Krishnayah ‘28.
+== History ==
+The Student Senate was predated by the [[Student Council]] under the 1947 and 1969 Union Constitutions. As originally created in the 1970 Constitution, it was made up of the elected members of the [[Graduate Council]] and [[Undergraduate Council]], and was presided over by the Grand Marshal. This meant that in 1970, there were 24 voting members of the Student Senate;
+* The Undergraduate Council;
+** One representatives from each of the four classes
+** One representative from each of the [[Independent Council]] and Interfraternity Council, at the time both subsidiary organizations of the UC
+* The Graduate Council{{efn|The GC also included five "at-large members", but these appointed and so not members of the Senate}};
+** Representatives from the schools; two for the [[School of Science]], two for the [[School of Engineering]], one from the [[School of Management]], and one jointly representing the [[School of HASS]] and the [[School of Architecture]].
+By 1974, the structure of the Senate had changed once more to resemble closely its modern structure. It included six graduate Senators, four from each of the undergraduate classes, and one Senator from each of the IC and IFC (who were now subsidiary to the Senate rather than the Undergraduate Council).
 ==Membership==
 === Voting===
@@ Line 65: / Line 74: @@
 ==Structure and Operations ==
-The Senate's role is to lorem ipsum
+The Senate occupies a dual role in the Union's governance structure. It implements overarching policy for the Union, setting general priorities and rules (as compared to the Executive Board's day-to-day management of Union affairs), but also advocates on behalf of the student body on various issues not directly related to the Union as an organization. In the Senate's earliest days, it emphasized the policy-making approach more heavily, but since at latest the 1990s it has primary focused on student advocacy. It also holds a variety of checks on other branches of the Union, including but not limited to;
+* The ability to propose constitutional amendments, subject to approval by the students, and to approve or deny all changes in the bylaws of all four other branches;
+* The sole right to determine the recommendation of the Activity Fee;
+* The ability to confirm the appointment of, and remove, members of the Executive Board and Judicial Board (with the exception of the UC-EBoard and GC-EBoard Liaisons); and
+* The ability to set policy on selection and removal of all positions in the Union.
+Most of the Senate's functioning comes from its various committees, each led by a Chair. Senators are required to attend committees, but they are open to any member of the Union to join and contribute. Committees generally meet weekly during the regular school year and every other week (or less frequently) during the summer.
 ===Committees ===
@@ Line 72: / Line 87: @@
 |+ Senate Committees
 |-
-! Committee !! Established !! Incumbent Chair
+! Committee !! Established !! Jurisdiction!! Incumbent Chair
 |-
-| [[Academic Affairs Committee]] || 1981? || Zach Nobles '27
+| [[Academic Affairs Committee]] || 1981? || Curricula, advising, registration, research, and professional development||Zach Nobles '27
 |-
-| [[Community Relations Committee]] || 2001? || Mia Stryhalaleck '28
+| [[Community Relations Committee]] || 2001? || Relations with the local community and RPI clubs ||Mia Stryhalaleck '28
 |-
-| [[Facilities and Services Committee]] || 2013 || Charlie Fowle '29
+| [[Facilities and Services Committee]] || 2013 || The Institute's facilities and auxillary services || Charlie Fowle '29
 |-
-| [[Elections Commission]] || 2018 || Lauren Antao '28 ''(Acting)''
+| [[Elections Commission]] || 2018 || Elections and elections policy || Lauren Antao '28 ''(Acting)''
 |-
-| [[Residential Life and Dining Committee]] || 2025 || Shruthi Anandraman '28
+| [[Residential Life and Dining Committee]] || 2025 || On- and off-campus residential life, dining, and residential services ||Shruthi Anandraman '28
 |-
-| [[Rules and Administration Committee]] || 2026 || Griffin Oliver '27
+| [[Rules and Administration Committee]] || 2026 || Union policy affairs and ongoing maintenance and improvement of the Senate || Griffin Oliver '27
 |-
-| [[Senate Communications and Engagement Committee|Senate Communications and<br/>Engagement Committee]] || 2025 || Emily Lin '29
+| [[Senate Communications and Engagement Committee|Senate Communications and<br/>Engagement Committee]] || 2025 || The Senate's public relations and outreach ||Emily Lin '29
 |-
-| [[Student Life Committee]] || 2007 || Stanley Goodwin 'G
+| [[Student Life Committee]] || 2007 || Student rights and well-being, including Title IX policy and the Student Handbook || Stanley Goodwin 'G
 |-
-| [[Union Annual Report Committee]] || 2015 || ''(Vacant)''
+| [[Union Annual Report Committee]] || 2015 || Creating the Union Annual Report ||''(Vacant)''
 |-
-| [[Web Technologies Group]] || 2005? || Aaron Niyazov '28
+| [[Web Technologies Group]] || 2005? || Overseeing the Union's web infrastructure || Aaron Niyazov '28
 |-
 |}