To the Editors:

In the past two years, the Student Senate has improved on many fronts. Senate has been a part of improvement in green building standards, expansion of gender-neutral housing, and increased student representation on critical committees. Senators represent the student body in dealing with ResEd, Admissions, LGBT concerns, purchasing policies and countless others.

Underlying the successes of the past two years was the status of Senate as a paying job. The fact that Senators received wages in this period meant that Senate could attract and retain committed students who would be able to put in the time required to make a difference. Senate wages also allowed low-income students to serve. As was mentioned in last week’s Review, the Senate recently learned that the 2005 referendum failed to meet quorum and thus never affirmed our wages.  For the period since we learned of the constitutional violation, we stopped receiving pay until the conclusion of this referendum. Senators have faithfully continued their work unpaid, but we are depending on your support on question #3, which would ratify wages from 2005-2007. 

For continued progress on Senate, I ask that students affirm Senate wages for the next two years and vote yes on question #1.

–Colin Jones

College senior

Student Senator