by By Jada Yanek
NCC’s Student Senate seeks to promote community engagement by organizing events, while also serving as a liaison between students and faculty.
Student Senate began in 2008 and consists of 10 elected senators and five officers: president, vice president, secretary, public relations officer and treasurer, Director of Student Life and Leadership Doug Smith said.
Student Senate is holding biweekly meetings at the moment, where they have been working on budget requests for club funding, president of the Student Senate Lucas Wolk said.
“We really work in a team-based setting though, so although I’m the president, all of the students contribute to what we are doing in government,” Wolk said. “We have open discussions about budgets, events and issues that students present to us, as well as changes we would like to work towards seeing in the school.”
After acting as president for one year, Wolk will graduate in May and said he is “passing the torch” to someone else next election.
Senator of Student Senate Crystal Koch said a typical day in her position includes attending meetings, planning events, figuring out club budgets and promoting Student Senate.
“I try my hardest to make it known that a student can come to me or any senate member with concerns or ideas that they would like to possibly implement. Whether it may be a new club, event or simply trying to get in touch with higher-up positions for personal reasons,” Koch said. “Whatever the reason, all students’ voices matter, and as a senate member, I am more than happy to hear those voices and pass on any messages.”
Smith explained the responsibilities of each officer position. The vice president presides over the senate in absence of the president, supervises the senate’s committees and works with the president to develop an agenda.
The secretary takes minutes and attendance of senators at meetings, provides an agenda for meetings and is responsible for correspondence.
The public relations officer acts as chairperson at the social media committee, is responsible for approval of senate advertisements and helps increase student awareness of senate.
The treasurer keeps a record of all senate finances, presents a detailed expenditure and income sheet at the first meeting of each month and serves as chairperson of the budget committee.
Officer positions for Fall 2022 are now open. Students with a 2.0 or higher GPA, good academic standing and at least 12 completed NCC credits may run. Student Senate positions last one academic year but students can be reelected.
Applicants can sign up at docs.google.com/forms by noon April 6. That link will also provide information about voting. Voting will be available to all credit students from 11 a.m. April 11 to midnight April 20. Once results are tabulated and finalized, the newly-elected officers will be announced Thursday, April 21.
Student Senate to hold Games Day event
NCC’s Student Senate will hold a Games Day event.
Games Day will have a carnival aesthetic with Plinko, Skee-Ball, revolving basketball, “hopefully” a dunk tank, board games and more, Senator of the Student Senate Maurice Whan said.
“This year was primarily focused on getting students back into activities in a post-COVID world,” President of Student Senate Lucas Wolk said. “So, a lot of our focus has shifted towards that.”
Games Day will be held from noon to 7 p.m. on April 11, at Main Campus in the Student Life Zone located on the second floor behind the cafeteria. Food and refreshments will be provided.
“We’re hoping to give out gift cards and other types of memorabilia for those that come and attend,” Whan said.
“Something that the pandemic took away from us was the ability to meet new and interesting people and Games Day looks to fix that as students get to come out and experience what college life has to offer,” Whan said. “What better way to do that than by playing games.”
