The Student Senate, at its November 28 meeting, passed four funding requests and endorsed a proposal for a sliding scale parking fee to be submitted to the administration. A funding request passed for a Pre-Law Society trip to Washington, DC, but was later vetoed by the Student Senate President Heather Dawood. “A number of senators had unanswered questions, this needs to be reviewed, revamped and re-presented,” the senate president said.

The senate transferred $90,000 to Student Life to cover payroll expenses for center coordinators and Student Life assistants. The senate passed a funding request for $1750 to support a Forum on Human Rights, a $500 request by the Boston City Club for a city trolley tour, and requests for the Pre-Law Society’s trip to Washington, DC, $4680, and $6012 for a research trip to Arizona by Casa Latina.

The senate tabled to committee funding requests from both the Investment Club and Casa Latina for new computers. Those requests will be further investigated and new proposals will be submitted. The senate indicated that they hope to secure better prices by purchasing computers in bulk for numerous clubs all at once rather than one at a time.

“We want to create opportunities for a broad array of students, not just those in the loop,” Dawood later elaborated on her move to veto the funding for the Pre-Law Society’s trip. The trip was planned for twelve students to visit law schools and compile information on law programs. Eleven students were already signed up to go on the trip, with one seat open to the student body at large. The majority of those eleven students were student senators, and five had previously gone on a Pre-Law Society trip to visit other universities. “There were senators who questioned whether going to look at other schools is even a valid trip, ” Dawood said.

The President’s Report included a paragraph mentioning a recent memo, though the content of the memo was left undisclosed. “Please be aware that the Dean of Students via inter-office mail has contacted all student leaders. Your attention to this correspondence would be greatly appreciated.”

In the open forum segment of the meeting two representatives of the team that is negotiating the terms of the parking fee increase requested that the Student Senate endorse their proposal for a sliding scale parking fee. A sliding scale parking fee would allow students and low paid staff to pay a lower fee than staff and faculty with higher earnings. After minimal debate the endorsement of those senators present passed unanimously.