Doane Student Congress is releasing its minutes and what they discussed as part of an initiative to keep students and staff in the know about what Student Congress is proposing and discussing. Student Congress hopes that in doing this, Doane students will have an easier time knowing what is happening on campus and will be empowered to propose changes or actions for Student Congress to enact.
Doane Student Congress held a meeting on Sept. 4, and in the meeting they got the chance to meet our new senators and swear them into the congress. The new senators are freshmen Juan Matos Hernandez, Derek Silva and Harrison Sjuts. These students have been elected as freshmen representatives for the class of 2028.
A large push is being made by the Student Congress to get students registered to vote. Events such as American Democracy Week aim to inform students about the 2024 presidential election, and Student Congress will work to help get students registered to vote and ensure they are voting. This includes working to provide absentee ballots for out-of-state students.
Some students brought up concerns, mostly regarding the residence halls. Students brought forth issues of flooding in Sheldon’s bathroom that prevented students from showering. Another concern was that the pool table in Lakeside and Frees was being defaced and playing equipment was being stolen; a request for cameras or monitoring of equipment was brought up. These issues are set to be addressed.
Another concern brought up at the meeting was the dining hall. On the whole, students report the food is of better quality than last year but the lines and wait times appear to be longer than last year. Student Congress recommends students not to stand in line and instead go straight to what they want. The dishwasher and ice cream machine, which are currently broken, will also be fixed as soon as possible. The dining hall also expects to add a two-week program that allows students to learn different cooking skills. At the end of the training, dining hall staff will pick four students to go up against staff in a food competition.
If students wish to read the Student Congress notes in detail, they can find them in their email. If students would like to sit in on a Student Congress meeting, they can join the Student Congress in the Board of Directors room in the Perry Campus Center every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
