Ben Baum '03 raised the issue of a judiciary committee ruling made on Dec. 7, 2002 regarding elections for vacant senate seats. The ruling stated that the election committee must present the names that would be entered on the ballot for the approval of the senate prior to the election.
Baum motioned to overturn the ruling. "Allowing the ruling to stand would set a bad precedent," he said.
He was joined by some of his fellow senators. "It would be best to keep that power [of creating new laws] in the hands of the senate," said Lincoln Mayer '04.
Other senators were disturbed by the senate's new power of ballot approval. "A student petition isn't enough now. Senators would be able to delay elections indefinitely," said Mike Flood '03.
A minority of senators did not mind the judiciary committee's ruling. "I think there's too much distrust ... The power is still in the hands of the student. I think that the issue of precedent is unimportant," said Caleb Deats '06.
Senators discussed their own inactivity, along with ways to remedy it, for a large portion of the meeting. "I want to say we talk endlessly about everything, so I don't think any of this [particular lengthy discussion] means anything," said Flood.
"I didn't see every class do a project last semester. I saw a lot of internal dissent," said Mihailis E. Diamantis '04.
Other senators were more optimistic. "We have a lot of different things coming out this semester which I hope will increase our visibility," said Secretary Alexandra Linden '04.
However, some senators disagreed with the new goal of visibility. "I don't think that the purpose of this body is to be visible on this campus, it's to be representative ... We need to be proactive in doing things that we consider more important," said Geoff Walter '04.
AAS Vice-President Bob Razavi '03 mentioned a plan to make committees more accountable in the future.
Rocío Digón '03 successfully raised a motion to have all ad hoc committees report to the senate at the next meeting.
In the same vein, Luke Swarthout '04 suggested that the senate ask all faculty-student committees to report to the senate. "Basically, let's try to and get people here-let's try and have a discussion," he said.
The senate formed an ad hoc committee to discuss alternatives to diversity seats.
The AAS welcomed the new senior senator, Daniel Berch '03. Berch made a speech that that criticized the AAS for its lack of activity and then motioned for the dissolution of the body.
Later in the meeting Berch wrote an equation on the blackboard implying that the senate did nothing. In response, Andre Deckrow '06 motioned to censure him. The motion was not voted upon.
Treasurer Livia Angiolillo '04 made her weekly report to the senate. There were $15,000 in requests, $7,115 of which were granted. The crew and men's ultimate frisbee teams received funding for coaches and the Black Students Union's request was approved in part for a trip that the group has planned.
Swarthout addressed the senate on the issue of the College's potential for environmental friendliness. The College currently uses energy from a steam plant on campus and buys the rest from Western Massachusetts Electric Company. Swarthout proposed the creation of a Campus Energy Task Force, and the senate supported the idea in a vote. The group will be composed of any member of the College community who wishes to join. Its goal is to reduce emissions while saving the College money normally spent on energy.