In the first Student Governing Association meeting of the fall 2019 semester, student senators heard from dean of libraries Lori Goetsch, Thomas Lane, new vice president of student life, and discussed the potential addition of a two day fall break beginning in 2022.
The student senate passed a resolution expressing the student leaders’ support for an additional two-day fall break. The break, Jansen Penny, student body president and senior in industrial engineering, said, would be for student mental wellness. There has been pushback from university faculty and staff, however, due to the need to change curriculum.
“It would be really helpful if we had this document expressing support from student senate to bring to the faculty,” Penny said.
The bill was special ordered to a vote and passed to be considered during faculty senate.
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Faculty senate will be discussing and voting on this issue on Tuesday, Sept. 10 and Hannah Heatherman, speaker of the student senate and senior in finance, will be in attendance.
With the Dave and Ellie Everrit Learning Commons newly opened, Goetsch spoke about future Hale openings. The second floor will open at the beginning of the spring 2020 semester, along with a cafe. The third through fifth floors will follow in fall 2020 with the Great Room slated to be the last part of the building to reopen.
“This is a semester earlier than we originally thought,” Goetsch said.
Goetsch also brought up the insurance payments for the damage following the May 2018 fire.
“We are still in the throws of negotiations with two insurance companies,” Goetsch said. “We have $69 million so far and there are additional payments expected.”
Goetsch said damages to the building are estimated to be about $100 million.
Hale will be having a Meet Your Librarian event Monday from 10 a.m. to noon so students can meet the librarian for their specific majors.
Lane spoke to those in attendance about his personal life and what his focus at K-State will be moving forward.
Those focuses will be: promoting student wellbeing with a focus on mental health, ensuring the successful completion of the Morris Family Multicultural Center and developing a new Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic goal for the Division of Student Life.
Lane brought up the possibility of partnering with the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes student and young adult emotional health.
In addition, Penny and Ali Karamali, student body vice president and senior in chemical engineering, spoke about the executive branch priorities for their term.
These include food insecurity on campus, sexual violence prevention and awareness, student well-being, changes to principle of community, and diversity and inclusion on campus.
Senate will reconvene Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. in Wildcat Chamber.
