BY KATIE GOSS ‘23
This week's Student Government Association (SGA) Senate meeting included presentations from three different student groups.
Amnesty International’s on campus organization gave the first presentation of the evening, advocating for senators to vote on making Mount Holyoke an “I Welcome” location with the official Amnesty International organization.
According to presenters, a Refugees Welcome resolution differs from the transition to a sanctuary campus, a legal designation. Instead, it is “a declaration of support for refugees passed through [a] student council. They are non- binding statements, not laws that decide whether a community will accept refugees ... They tell community leaders that students in your school are supportive of refugees.”
If their initiative is passed, Mount Holyoke would be the second school in Massachusetts to become an “I Welcome” campus. Boston College was the first.
The second presentation given was by students heading the Environmental Sustainability Declaration of Climate Emergency initiative at Mount Holyoke. The group, represented by Viveca Holman ’22 and Maya Sterett ’20, advocated that SGA should vote to declare a state of climate emergency in hopes of sending a strong signal to the administration that the student body is committed to carbon neutrality.
These two propositions will be voted on via email, and the results will be announced at the next meeting.
In the final presentation, the SCC discussed the results from the 2018- 2019 survey. Earlier Tuesday morning, the Student Conference Committee had given the same PowerPoint presentation to the leadership team of Mount Holyoke, including President of the College Sonya Stephens.
Presenters encouraged students to take the current SCC survey, as the results are shared with the leadership team and may have significant sway in issues students have on campus.
Senate meetings are held every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Blanchard Great Room.