On Monday evening, Binghamton University’s Student Congress gathered in the University Union for their first meeting of the school year.
Members of the Student Association’s (SA) E-Board discussed various topics ranging from voter registration to the University’s fall concert.
Bernadette Machuca, Vice President for Programming and a senior majoring in biology, said that while the SA has announced that Big Sean will perform at the fall concert, the opening acts are still up in the air.
“We are still working on finalizing contracts with the opening acts,” Machuca said. “As soon as that’s done, we will announce those.”
Machuca added that there will be a comedy show on October 24 during Family Weekend, and that the performer will be announced later this week. Tickets will be on sale in the Marketplace from 12 to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
According to Amanda Baker, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Student Advocates program, which aims to help those who have been written up for conduct violations, will restart as a way to ensure students know their rights.
“If you ever get in trouble with your RA, or if you have any issues with professors making up exams or not getting credit, those advocates are there to help you,” said Baker, a senior double-majoring in math and history.
Ruslan Klafehn, a sophomore majoring in political science and Vice President for Multicultural Affairs, said that he has a goal of registering 250 students to vote by October 14.
“The way I see this actually helping the University is the more people that are registered to vote, the more people that are voting in elections; student concerns will start to become the forefront of local politicians’ concerns,” Klafehn said.
Vice President of Finance Kate Tashman, a junior double-majoring in biomedical engineering and mathematics, proposed her changes to the Treasurer’s Handbook. After a debate regarding the clarity of consequences for violating the handbook, the vote passed.
Dillon Schade and Zach Vigliani, SA President and Executive Vice President respectively, did not attend the meeting, and their statements were read by the congress speaker.
Schade’s report detailed the changes to Off-Campus College Transport (OCCT), namely the addition of the Hawley Street stop on the late night bus, the change from the DCR to the DCL and the new green buses which operate only on campus. Vigliani’s report encouraged those interested in starting a club to fill out the Intent to Charter form either online or in the SA office and for current student groups to prepare for tabling at events for prospective students.
The student congress meeting ended with committee reports. Ami Bhavsar, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, was unanimously elected to the financial committee chair.