Senators for the freshman class: Sarah Cervenan, Alex Thue, Megan Pyrett, Jacob Schantz and Josie Gonzalez.

Story by Kirsten Fedorowicz, Opinion Editor
Photo courtesy of Facebook

Student Senate is the student body that seeks to improve the Aquinas College community and engage in relevant discussions. This year, senate welcomes first-year senators from all four classes and continues to work on old initiatives as well as new reforms.

Over the year, Senate works on a variety of projects in their committees. One initiative is reviving “Take Back the Tap.” This initiative seeks to ban the sales of plastic water bottles in places such as the Moose Cafe and encourage the use of reusable water bottles throughout campus. “Take back the tap” was passed in Student Senate last year, and has now moved on to the staff assembly. Senate is continuing to monitor this issue, and has high hopes that the initiative will continue to gain traction.

Working alongside already established senators to aid in campus improvements and discussion, Student Senate is welcoming first-year senators from all classes.

The recently elected senators for the freshman class are Josie Gonzalez, Sarah Cervenan, Alex Thue, Megan Pyrett and Jacob Schantz.

Jacob Schantz, one of the freshman senators, said “I decided to become a senator because I wanted to get involved on campus, as well as be a voice for my fellow classmates.”

When asked about what he hoped to accomplish in his new position, Schantz said that he was excited to solve problems, adding “If I have been able to serve my fellow senators and the people of Aquinas college, then I will have accomplished a lot.”

The senators for the other classes were elected at the end of last year, and include new voices to the student body. New senators include sophomores Angelo Leon, Bella Ouellette and Matt Fosdick. Juniors Maria Maguire, Tori Bernhardt, Mitch Rogowski and seniors Jenny McCullen and Evan Hile are all new to the position.

Nicole Jarvis, sophomore and senate secretary, said “The beginning of the year has been going well. We’re bonding as a whole senate.” Jarvis said that there haven’t been any start of the year shyness with this group of senators, and that respectful discussion has already been established.

“I think we’ve been hearing a lot of different voices,” Jarvis added.

This year, student senate has also launched a new website outside of the Aquinas website. On the website, students can submit their concerns pertaining to what’s happening on campus. The website also contains the goals of senate, the list of current student senators, the calendar of meetings, and the minutes from previous meetings.

Jarvis was excited about the new website. Now under Senate jurisdiction, it allows senators to update information and get it to the student body and a quicker pace.

Schantz underscored the importance Student Senate has to the community; “Student Senate here at Aquinas plays a major role in the running of the school, and in a way it helps everything run smoothly. It is a group of great people working together to serve the Aquinas community.”

About the writer: 
Kirsten Fedorowicz is a junior who is pursuing an English major with a writing emphasis and a Women’s Studies minor. She enjoys embroidering and social justice, particularly when the two are combined.