Senate began with Bobby Moakley, Student Government vice president, promoting "Into the ROC," a program falling under the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement umbrella and headed by Moakley himself. Into the ROC looks to connect RIT students with the greater Rochester community by offering trips from campus to various places in the area. Transportation and food are provided, and the excursions are always aimed to highlight a unique Rochesterian experience.
Bryan Gascon, FPAT Committee chair, gave an update on a PawPrints petition asking for the establishment of a polling place on campus. He reiterated a previous point that there are not enough voters registered in the district that RIT falls into to call for the establishment of a polling place. Gascon also noted that there are no locations on campus that meet the national requirements for a polling station, and that the idea had actually been previously explored by a national commission, but was turned down. Gascon did concede, however, that the idea isn’t impossible and the key to changing the minds of the national commission is a higher voter turnout not only during presidential elections, but also local and state elections, as well.
Valerie Horn, Cross-Registered senator, established an ad-hoc Deaf Advocacy Committee, with herself as the chair, in order to better represent the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students while other deaf and hard-of-hearing student governance groups are being restructured. Being an ad-hoc committee, it will be temporary and will dissolve once restructuring has concluded.
Speaking again, Bryan Gascon closed an FPAT charge for a more accessible campus, stating that stickers have gone up around campus explaining who to contact should an accessibility button not work, and that FMS employees have also been tasked with doing regular rounds throughout campus to test these buttons themselves. Gascon also was pleased to announce a new accessible door will be installed at the main entrance into the SAU, enabling easier access into this central hub of campus.
Evan Zachary, Sustainability Committee head, transferred a charge requesting the Red Barn be heated using waste oil from RIT Dining to FPAT Committee. He explained that while Sustainability has done all it can, it lacks the specific expertise and contacts of FPAT committee, and finds they would be better equipped to handle such a unique charge.
Marc Billow, Housing & Dining Committee chair, provided Senate with a couple of updates of his own. Regarding a petition to bring back RIT’s previous WiFi network, Billow explained that the previous network was severely out of date and that while there may be difficulties in using the present system now, this is largely due to the fact it is still being installed. All housing on campus has been upgraded to the new WiFi, but academic and other buildings around campus are still, in fact, running on the old system. He stressed that should anyone experience problems with either network, old or new, it is best to contact ITS so they can resolve the issue.
Billow continued, offering an update to the new Housing Policy going into effect this November. He explains that while the wording of the email was admittedly harsh, RIT Housing will not be taking anything that does not pose a danger. He reassured Senate that bluetooth devices, phones, remotes and other similar devices will not be confiscated and any item that is taken will be kept safe and in the same condition it was found in.
Senate closed with the announcement of the establishment of two new clubs on campus: Illustration League and The Deaf & Hard of Hearing Association.
