SGA Report | The first half of the semester with the Senate
Senators discuss the food pantry, providing laptops to students, police patrols, and funding questions
2/25/2025
The meeting opened with the introduction of Emma Killingsworth, who was assumed to be the new at-large senator. After a few announcements, the Senate got into some legislation
The first bill discussed was number 92-026, giving $300 from the Special Projects Fund to David Long, Professor and Chair of Visual Arts and Design, to make visual improvements to a bathroom in the Franz Art Center. Any money not used would be returned to the fund. The bill passed unanimously.
The next business discussed was providing SGA funds to the food pantry located in Haury Hall. Senators discussed responses to the survey they had sent out asking students what they wanted to see in the pantry, and clarified that the pantry is not currently supported by SGA. Then, $300 was approved to be spent on stocking the pantry with food and hygiene products.
The Senate then continued their earlier ongoing discussions around the potential to purchase reusable containers for students to use in the cafeteria. The issue was left open, to be revisited at a later date after more information was gathered.
The last business of the session was Bill 92-027, to allocate funds for SGA’s new laptop relief program. After some input from faculty, changes were made to the bill removing the proposed GPA requirement for students, and making it possible for first-year students to get loaner laptops which would become theirs once they returned for their second year. The bill passed unanimously. Students in need of laptops can find applications outside the SGA office on the bottom floor of the Administration Building.
The meeting adjourned at 11:48
3/11/2025
The meeting opened with the swearing in of Emma Killingsworth as senator. After some brief check ins, including the mention of the upcoming SGA election, the Senate got started on business.
First up was Bill 92-028, which allocated $1724.60 for window shades in the Franz Art Building. The number was based on a direct quoted cost for the new shades. The bill passed unanimously.
Next, Bill 92-030, giving $300 to the Diversity Council for the upcoming “Welcome to the Green” event. The bill passed unanimously.
The Senate revisited the topic of reusable cafeteria containers, but did not reach a conclusion. More information will be gathered.
A significant portion of the meeting was spent on the final piece of legislation, Bill 92-029, a resolution introduced by the Bethel College Community for Justice and Peace. The resolution advocated for the ending of police patrols on campus, and supported finding alternative ways to increase campus safety and build connections with police, beyond giving them free reign to patrol common spaces on campus.
Representatives of BCCJP explained the resolution, and discussed the Bethel coalition against campus patrols, which is a group of Bethel organizations who support ending campus patrols. After considerable discussion among students in attendance, Sheryl Wilson, Vice President for Culture and Belonging, arrived, and spoke about the importance of finding a “third way” in the issue of campus policing.
At 11:44, the Senate went into executive session, excluding all members of the public from the meeting. At 12:00, they let outsiders back in. Before voting on the bill, the Senate said that a survey was needed to gauge student opinions on the issue. The bill was tabled until a survey could be sent out, and results gathered.
The meeting adjourned at 12:19.