The first Associated Students of the University of New Mexico senate committee meetings of the fall semester were held Wednesday, Aug. 21 at the Student Union Building. With new chairs taking their seats and senators settling into their assigned committees, the night consisted of three vice-chair appointments, one commendation acknowledgement and a unanimous passage of a $300 appropriation.
The three ASUNM committees are Steering and Rules, Outreach and Appointments, and Finance, with a minimum of five senators on each committee. ASUNM vice president, Madelyn Lucas, is tasked with choosing which senators go on what committees and with appointing chairs to each committee.
Emma Hotz, a second year political science student, was appointed to be the Steering and Rules chair. Steering and Rules handles all commendations, condolences, resolutions and changes to the ASUNM Constitution or Lawbook. Hotz was elected to Senate in Spring 2019. She served as a legislative coordinator for ASUNM before that.
According to Hotz, her position as chair is to lead the committee in going over all legislation and to correct grammar mistakes before the legislation heads to full senate.
Kristin Woodworth, a third-year political science student, is the Outreach and Appointments chair. Outreach and Appointments is responsible for vetting and approving officials before they are sworn in during the full senate, reaching out to student groups on campus and organizing events.
Gregory Romero, a second year business student, is the Finance chair. As Finance chair, Romero said he helps guide the committee on what to consider when approving or failing an appropriation or when constructing the budget.
As the undergraduate representatives for the University, senators elected to be the voices to the diverse student population. When the chairs were asked how they take the undergraduate population into consideration when dealing with legislation, Hotz and Romero referred to their involvement with other student groups on campus.
“I’m on a lot of different organizations on campus, so I’m hoping that I know a good amount of students and that I can represent them in the best way possible — for example, right now I’m in LoboTHON and I’m in a sorority,” Hotz said.
Aside from their personal involvement with student groups, Hotz said that every senator is assigned to work with student groups on campus so they can hear a multitude of opinions across the University.
During the Steering and Rules committee meeting, Hotz’s committee selected Senator Ryan Regalado as vice chair and worked on a commendation for Andrea Howard, a UNM student who has recently qualified for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo for softball.
Across the hall in the Finance committee meeting, the Bangladeshi Student Organization was approved for a $300 appropriation to fund a meet and greet for new Bangladeshi students. Senator Abby Lutz, former Senate clerk and first-time senator, was voted as vice chair by the Finance committee.
Every year, twenty dollars of student fees are used by ASUNM that the Finance committee allots to student groups at their discretion. Romero acknowledged the gravity of his position.
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“[The Finance committee is] in the biggest spot of helping undergraduates here at UNM,” Romero said. “[Steering and Rules] does a lot in terms of how we can operate and how students can operate — in terms of the Lawbook — and Outreach and Appointments is really big in getting us out there and what we do.”
In the Outreach and Appointments committee meeting, a total of seven officials were approved. Kaylee Maxon was voted as Executive Director of Lobo Spirit, Ethan Elliot Duff for Executive Director is Student Special Events, Lynn Midani as Executive Director of Community Experience, Selina Montoya as Attorney General, Amanda Perea as Director of Communications, Jacob Silva as Chief of Staff, and Lacy Garner as Executive Director of Emerging Lobo Leaders.
Woodworth then announced that each senator on Outreach and Appointments is required to organize at least one event this semester. Among the ideas proposed by senators, vice chair Matthew Zank said that he would like his ASUNM event to focus on campus security. He also said that he wants to hear a variety of opinions from undergraduate students to see if they would be interested in considering initiatives like more lighting or a fence around campus.
The next full senate meeting will be on Aug. 4 at the SUB.
Alyssa Martinez is a freelance reporters at the Daily Lobo and can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @amart4447.
