The weekly meetings create an environment where a student-run committee can promote ways to help the university excel as a community.
Located on the second floor of the library, the infamous conference room that you see when you walk up the stairs is where I ended up on a beautiful sunny Thursday afternoon. The chairs around me were filled with representatives from different groups and clubs on campus; CGE, NHOH, SAAC, Ace board.
First order of business is going over study abroad grants. The student senate sets aside some funds in order to give out scholarships to students who are in financial need and who are also studying abroad. Great. Check.
Second issue: funding. Basically, the senate is open to giving funding for different educational programs, conferences, clubs and workshops that are hosted on campus. They were not ambivalent about their message: any group or club can ask the student senate for money if they go through the correct process. The student senate is very willing to listen to different groups and opinions. Got it? The wallet is open!
Lastly—and certainly not least—they focused on the issue of the Boxer mascot. The Boxer has been the mascot for more than 50 years—and if the pace of decision-making on this issue continues, it may be 50 more years before we get the new costume! But the board also wants to give the students a voice. “We are creating an ad hoc committee to foster dialogue about the Boxer mascot and how we want to represent ourselves as Pacific University,” explained student senate president, Ava Johnson. “We are hoping to get student involvement in order to allow for everyone to voice their opinions on the matter.” (If you are interested in how the new Boxer mascot costume looks, reach out to the senate via their email. — Avari Schumacher
Major: Sports Communications
Hometown: Stayton, OR
Hobbies: Watching baseball, thrifting, skincare, hanging out with my pets, snowboarding, and going on walks.
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