Tufts Community Union senators gathered on Oct. 4 to discuss funding, initiatives and ways to connect with the rest of the student and faculty body, the first meeting to include new senators representing the class of 2030: Will Ayers, Grey Collins, Catalina McGraw, Rosie Ounsworth, Joey Vernet, Joann Yamoah and Noel Yi.
The first-year senators expressed their enthusiasm about their retreat, which included an afternoon training session to orient new members and a trip to recreation center Level99 as a bonding activity.
“We got to know everyone really well,” first-year and Latinx Community Senator Daniela Delgado said. “We got to spend the day with [the already seated members], and [they’re all] very insightful people.”
Vernet also had a positive impression of the bonding, stressing the importance of having fun within a professional environment.
“It was great being able to bond and connect with fellow senators,” he said. “Within a student government, there’s time to take things seriously but there’s also time to have fun. ... That makes our job way more enjoyable because we are able to be more cohesive as a student government and work even better because of that connection.”
First-year senators had the opportunity to meet with different committees that correspond with their interests. Committees include Administration & Policy, Community & Diversity, Education, Outreach and Services.
“I’m really leaning towards outreach,” Collins said. “One thing I campaigned on is more two-way communications. Get the word out about what we’re doing to the student body. So I would love town halls.”
The new senators expressed interest in a wide range of projects. Vernet hopes to improve civic engagement and suggested creating a reward system to motivate students to engage civically. McGraw wants to add new minors like psychology and international relations, while Collins displayed an interest in transparency and involving all students in decision-making.
Ayers looks to support the continuation of the Tufts University Prison Initiative and advocate for reforming the Office of Equal Opportunity. Yomoah’s goals include implementing free menstrual products in campus restrooms and giving students more meal swipe flexibility. Yi wants to make it easier for students to access health care covered by the Tufts Health Plan.
Ounsworth said her first meeting revealed how much work the TCU Senate does to improve the quality of student life.
“This really gives me more exposure into how ... the Senate takes into account … all the different things that are important to [create] a functioning student life,” she said.
The Administration & Policy Committee also presented a new survey at the meeting that will be sent out in the coming weeks for students to share feedback and suggestions with the Senate.
Yomoah expressed enthusiasm about her new role and participation in the TCU Senate community.
“I’m so excited to work with [the TCU senators] because they all have different experiences and come from different backgrounds, and that makes [the] Senate so nice because we get to add in our experiences,” she said. “At the end of the day, we want to help all the clubs on campus, and so when it comes to budgeting, we definitely look in favor [of] helping people.”
At the meeting, Class of 2027 Senator Defne Olgun won the Senator of the Week award for her dedication, time commitment and contributions to campus.
Senator Noel Yi was nominated for Assistant Treasurer. In her pitch, she shared her experience in fundraising and networking with the alumni at her high school.
To expand communication between the Senate and the rest of the Tufts community, TCU senators plan to host a meet-and-greet on Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. between senators and faculty members. In addition, senators plan to send out feedback forms for students to offer suggestions and indirectly participate in the decision-making process.
