Academic Affairs is exploring students' feelings that their education at Carnegie Mellon isn't necessarily well-rounded; that they have trouble taking classes outside their main area; that there is too much focus on their major; and, that there could be more collaboration between majors. AA would like to find a way to allow people to be more liberally educated while still having a strong technical base.

Business Affairs is in talks with USA Today (sponsor of the Campus Readership Program that places copies of The New York Times, USA Today, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette around campus) about publicizing the papers better. If Senate can help out, USA Today may be able to bring some journalists or other speakers to campus free of charge.

Campus Life will be holding this fall's Campus Gear Sale on October 14, the Saturday of Homecoming, from 12:00-5:00 p.m. Every year, Student Senate buys overstocked Carnegie Mellon sweaters, shorts, shirts, and other assorted items from the bookstore, and then sells them at Homecoming and Carnival at heavily discounted prices in order to encourage school spirit.

Communications is organizing a once-a-week tabling session for Student Senate. Starting the week of October 9, student senators will table every Thursday in front of Doherty Hall or in the University Center from approximately 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.  

Finance brought three motions to the floor: a request of $575 for Om's annual Navaratri Dance, $150 to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to screen the documentary Darfur Diaries in McConomy on October 1, and $1,000 to SoHo for their Pride Month keynote speaker, Cheryl Jacques. Each one of those events is free and open to all students.

At the General Body Meeting, Student Senate filled three more vacancies, and welcomes Julia Li of CFA, Eddie Oh of MCS, and Lauren Hudock of HSS to the general body as new senators. We will be filling the competitive Tepper vacancy next week.

Joel Bergstein, chair of Finance, announced that the Joint Funding Committee will form soon, and any interested people (even non-senator student organization leaders) should contact him if they would like to help allocate funds to student organizations for next year.

Senate passed each of the funding motions from the Finance Committee, but there was some concern that the Darfur Diaries documentary would be too political for Student Senate to fund.* The representative from IVCF reassured the body that the film was intended to inform and educate, not to advocate a particular course of action, and so it also passed. Specific information regarding the allocations are included below.

Next General Body Meeting: Thursday, October 5 at 5 p.m., DH 2210
Next meeting of the Executive Committee: Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m., UC 318G

Date: October 1, 2006

Request: IVCF will be screening the documentary Darfur Diaries in McConomy Auditorium. The documentary will provide the opportunity for Carnegie Mellon students to be educated on the events currently happening in Darfur. This event is not political, but rather an educational opportunity for students. The event is free for all, and expected attendance is 100.

Committee Decision: The Finance Committee unanimously agreed to fund the entire request. Student Senate has funded similar events, and given current events, this film would provide an educational opportunity for students on campus.

$575 to OM for Navaratri Dance

Date: October 27, 2006

Request: Navaratri is an Indian cultural event celebrated every year during the fall. It lasts for nine days and nights and is celebrated with a traditional Indian dance called Garba. This year the dance will by held at the Holiday Inn Select. There will be free busses for students. Expected attendance is 200 people. This event is free to the entire campus.

Committee Decision: We unanimously agreed to fund the entire request. The event is a culturally educational opportunity for students, and has received support from a variety of bodies on campus. Student Senate has traditionally funded this event in the past. Last year this event received $575.

$1,000 to SoHo for Pride Month Keynote Speaker

Date: October 5, 2006

Request: Cheryl Jacques will be the keynote speaker to kick off Pride Month. Cheryl Jacques is the former president of the Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest GLBT advocacy groups in the world. She is also the first openly gay State Senator in Massachusetts history. She has lowered her fees from $5,000 to $3,000 so that SoHo can afford the honorarium fee. SoHo is expecting 100 Carnegie Mellon students to attend the event.

Committee Decision: The finance committee unanimously agreed to fund the entire request. Last year, Student Senate funded $1,000 for this event to bring Shane Windemeyer to speak on being Greek and gay. The committee decided that given the popularity of the keynote speaker, this would be a beneficial event for the entire campus body and would provide a strong start to Pride Month.

* Author's Note: Student Senate regulations dictate that special allocations may not fund events that are religiously, politically, or charitably based, since that would constitute a spending of the mandatory Student Activities Fee in a way that some students may have strong personal objections to.

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