Student Senate Seeks to Increase Visibility with Campus Community

On Tuesday, Oct. 23, members of MSUM’s Student Senate gathered in the CMU’s Sun Garden Lounge for a meet and greet with their constituents. The “Meet Your Senator” event was organized to increase Student Senate visibility on campus.

“We just wanted to make ourselves known to students so that if they have questions or concerns, they know who to go to,” Jill Maahs, chair of Public Relations Committee and Education and Human Services senator, said. “If they have anything they want to talk about today, they’re welcome to bring that to us.”

Although the event was created to allow students to voice their concerns, many simply dropped by for a quick chat with a member and to grab a free cookie.

“I’ve mostly been just meeting students,” Maahs said. “There haven’t really been any issues that have been brought up today, but if there ever are any we would be willing to talk about it.”

Baylee Hanson, Student Senate secretary, gave some insight on the event as well.

“I think a lot of [today’s event] is just kind of meeting the student body and interacting and letting them know what Student Senate does and letting them know, if they do ever have an issue, we are the ones they can come talk to,” said Hanson.

Student Senate hosts events similar to “Meet Your Senator” about once a semester depending on the demand for visibility. 

“It just kind of depends on what we’re feeling we need to be doing as a senate,” Hanson said.

Hanson mentioned Student Senate will likely be hosting a “Finals Snack Attack,” a popular event they held last semester which included a free snack bar for students. 

 “[The ‘Meet Your Senator’ event] gets us out there to the student body. It lets them put faces to Student Senate and interact with the student body,” Hanson said.

Student Senate has a number of goals for this year alongside increasing their visibility.  These goals include helping MSUM students engage in voting, teaching leadership skills, educating students about Student Senate and engaging the student body in general.

Recently, Student Senate has made an effort in involving the student body by coming out with a diversity newsletter.  Student Senate’s diversity committee is developing the newsletter, and the senate hopes to get it sent out every month. The letter will inform students of different diversity events happening on campus. Hanson said they are hoping to send one out this week.

Student Senate meets Thursdays at 6 p.m. Students with any concerns can show up to the meetings.  Their email, studentsenate@mnstate.edu, is checked regularly.  Students can bring their concerns to the Student Senate office in CMU 126. In addition, the senate’s faculty advisor, Annie Wood, can also be contacted at annie.wood@mnstate.edu or 218-477-4737.

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