Fall 2002 State of the Union Address

Delivered by Student Union President Ben Brandzel on 6 December, 2002.

(I)

Welcome - staff, faculty, club leaders, officers of student government, and most importantly my fellow members of the Undergraduate Student Union - Welcome.

Today I have come to fulfill my constitutional responsibility to report to you on the State of the Union. You have come because this is our Union - and you recognize that democracy is more than just an occasional vote. We all have an active stake in this democracy and this community - and we live that responsibility together.

The framers of our Constitution wisely ensured that at least once a semester we would have this opportunity for direct communication about the questions, issues and plans that shape our experience here at Brandeis.

In that spirit, my goals for this address are fourfold:

First, to share with you information and observations about some of the occasions, trends, and actions that defined this semester within the wider Brandeis community.

Second, to explain and discuss significant developments within Student Union Government.

Third, to unveil several important initiatives in store for next semester,

And last, to open the floor to questions for myself and other members of the student union government here assembled, to add the vital dimension of dialogue to this democratic discourse.

(II)

Any discussion of additions to student life in the last semester must begin with the Shapiro campus Center.

This new building, represents the most significant addition to our campus in a generation, it recenters and in many ways redefines our campus, by providing a new hub for the work, activities and leisure of Brandeis students.

When the doors first opened in late august, we had high hopes for the role this building would play in our community, but just as many questions and concerns.

Key ingredients of a thriving campus center- a mail room and a full service cafeteria were absent. The location was new, the facilities modern, but sterile, and the color ? an interesting choice.

Students had a significant say in the buildings construction, furnishing and operation, but would we really take it as our own, and breathe life into these manicured hallways?

I am happy to report to you today, that by all accounts we have taken the campus center, and taken it by storm.

In the past three months students have organized approximately 450 separate formal events and meetings within these walls. That is an average of 150 events a month and 5 every single day.

And these figures only account for the formal events, those that made official reservations. If you add in unregistered meetings, study groups, tours of the art gallery, informal group discussions, and communal lounging in front of the TV the count undoubtedly reaches well into the thousands.

Our use of the campus center has enhanced our education, by providing the only 24 hour public access to technology and study rooms. The elegant new library is the most heavily used room in the building, possibly the most consistently occupied space on campus.

It has added to our productivity. The building provides office space for 15 major resident organizations from the Student Union to SSIS, thus enabling enhanced service to students and a better experience for members.

It has enhanced our minds. The Ruth, I mean Carl J. Shapiro theater has played host to five major productions across the spectrum of the performing arts - Dinner With Friends, The Good Doctor, Youre a good man Charlie Brown, Boriss Kitchen Comedy Festival, and Taming of the Shrew, all of which enjoyed near capacity attendance in the 249 seat auditorium.

And it has enhanced our spirits. The Atrium, the communal space at the heart of the new center has found its place as the premiere spot on campus for public programming. From the Shapiro Swaree to acoustic cafes, from Hannukah ceremonies to Kwanza celebrations, we used this space to come together like never before.

All of this - and the building is quite literally not yet done. You can expect construction to continue over break, and into the next semester. Items next on the list include audio visual instillations in the theater and further work on the main staircase.

Also look for more atrium furniture next semester as well.

Future exterior enhancements include more limestone siding, stone benches, additional lighting, and some trees to spruce up the landscape.

At the same time as Shapiro has added so much to student life, Usdan continues to hold a vital place in our routines. With food and mailboxes rooted there for the foreseeable future, we must not allow Usdan to lose its student focused character. Next semester a steering committee will be convened by the administration in cooperation with Student Union with decision making authority, to ensure that Usdan retains maximal value to the student body. Please contact myself or another Union Government Officer if you would like to be involved.

There are a few key enhancements that appear on the Horizon - among them are more space for Hillel, a one stop shopping area for all administrative functions that interface directly with students, and - perhaps most excitingly - a large revamped game room in the old book store space. Video games, air hockey, billiards, ski ball - all the diversions one could imagine. And Alwina Bennet is the driving force behind this idea - so we know this ones going to happen.

(III)

One measure of a healthy community is its ability to reflect upon its self, and celebrate the creativity of its members. Campus media offers us that opportunity, and this semester has witnessed unprecedented progress in this arena.

For the first time in living memory we now have two weekly campus news papers. The Indie has proven a welcome addition to campus journalism, and has turned out an impressive track record for a self, run, self funded enterprise. In just one semester they have assembled a staff roster of dozens of reporters, photographers, and editors, and put out 6 issues with over 140 articles. While The Justice continues to provide an excellent mainstay of on campus reporting, the Indie looks to provide a highly valuable supplement.

But the greatest gains in on campus media have come in the functional, political, and financial revival of the Brandeis Television Station. Buoyed by their new office on the third floor of Shapiro, BTV has turned out an unprecedented level of quality and quantity programming this semester.

BTV has committed for the first time to 24 hour programming on channel 65. They produce two original shows, Resident Strife and Dumpster Kids, with several more on the horizon - including a weekly news show entitled The Buzz, a sports talk show and a hip hop culture program. They have featured new and classic movies throughout the semester, including 8 new releases and old classics such as Jon Wayne and Three Stooges.

Most importantly, BTV has emerged as a vital outlet for community programming, including heavy promotion of the VH1 Junoon documentary, the In Fact Video on Phillip Morris, and advertisements for various student organizations including the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, the Waltham Group and the Student Union.

Several weeks ago the voters expressed their confidence in the future of Brandeis Television by voting to amend the Constitution to make BTV the latest Secured Allocations Funded Organization. This guarantees them 1.87% of the Student Activities Fee or about $15,000 annually. They intend to use the money to further expand operations through the purchase of new cameras, lighting, sound equipment, and switchers which will enable live broadcasts from up to 14 different spots on campus.

I strongly believe that there is great potential in this newly realized medium to expand our appreciation of the creativity, talent and culture of Brandeis University.

(IV)

There is perhaps no challenge more important, and no challenge more difficult, than the great struggle to successfully manage diversity. It is the question of whether we are capable of embracing every part of ourselves, and whether or not the majority is strong enough to act in respect and recognition of the minority. Can we hold together as a community, or do we break apart as factions?

The Brandeis community in particular has wrestled intensely with these issues in recent times. This semester began with the WBRS Mens Room incident fresh in our minds, with a new set of directives coming out of the Presidents task force on Diversity, and firm commitment in the minds of student government leaders and the community in general to do our best to meet this issue head on.

Real, healthy diversity is as slow and complicated to achieve, as it is important to achieve. But though the goal remains beyond us to complete, we could not desist in beginning. I am pleased to report that both within the administration and the Student Union, significant strives have been made.

Reverend Nathaniel Mays, the chief diversity advocate within the administration, was promoted to Assistant Dean for Student Life and Coordinator of Diversity Services, and given expanded responsibilities and powers to handle diversity issues on campus.

This created a vacancy in Directorship of the ICC which, has been recently filled by Suzy Talukdar 96. Ms. Talukdar, a practicing Muslim, will also be serving as an advisor to the Muslim Student Association, a need that has been sorely neglected for years. And, incidentally, happy id ul fitr to any of you who may be observing the holiday this afternoon.

The position of staff assistant at the ICC has also been vacant this semester, but should be filled be quickly now that a new director is in place to coordinate the hire.

A new, improved Mosiac program was prepared for orientation this year, and for the first time was open to all students for a 2 day training in how to recognize, negotiate and celebrate the differences amongst us.

All of the senior administration underwent a day long diversity training provided by an outside consultant, demonstrating their tangible commitment to these issues.

Prof Sadna Bery is working in the Provosts office to audit the curriculum for strengths and weaknesses in terms of diversity concerns. This position was created in large measure in response to student advocacy last year, and represents a major victory in this effort.

The Provost and the Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment, in conjunction with the Dean of Student Life, is also preparing the creation of a standing, acting committee to make real the recommendations put forth in the Diversity report. More word on that will be forthcoming shortly.

Within the Student Union, we have also worked hard to contribute to the larger efforts at achieving a healthy diversity.

This year saw the first ever appointment to the executive Office of a Community Integration Coordinator, whos job was to help facilitate improved intergroup relations and work to ensure the recommendations from the Presidents Diversity Task Force report were adhered to.

Through the work of Peggy Eyssallenne we have contacted and met with representatives from all the major identity groups on campus, including those constituted along lines of race, culture, religion and sexual orientation. We discussed the diversity report, and formulated student priorities for its implementation. We have met regularly with key administrators, and worked diligently to ensure that this process stays on track.

It is important to note that with all the sincere intentions on all levels of this process, it is still a grueling and at times frustrating task.

The ICC has struggled this semester to overcome the staff shortfalls that it experienced. Triskellion has felt so much pressure to meet such a holistic set of needs for GLBT students on campus that it has been forced to go into temporary retreat, suspending all operations until the leadership has a chance to refocus the group early next semester.

More progress needs to be made on all levels, including on the bread and butter issues of supporting diversity in the curriculum, and in the recruitment of faculty and students.

But the momentum is there - and we stay vigilant and hold our leaders accountable, both within the union and the administration, we have every reason to believe it will continue, and every obligation to ensure that it does.

(V)

Another important development on campus that merits some attention is the large scale response to the potential war on Iraq that has emerged from our community.

Almost 400 students, faculty and staff, including myself, expressed our opposition to the war and pledged to walk out together if and when the war breaks out, so that we can react to this major world event first and foremost as a Brandeis community. The goal is to prepare teach ins and discussion groups before hand, so that war, if it does occur, will find Brandeis ready to react through education, discussion, and action.

I think this measure of commitment on behalf of Brandeis students and community members displays a remarkable level of social conscience and cognizance of our connection to the outside world and our responsibilities as moral actors within it. It is these qualities which make me so proud to be a Brandeis Student, and this effort is a fine showcase of them at their best.

(VI)

I will now turn to a brief discussion of the major challenges and accomplishments of Union Government this Semester

Much as any discussion of additions to student life this semester must begin with the Shapiro campus center - so any discussion of major developments within Union Government must begin with a report on the state of our finances.

When we began the year, we were on shaky ground indeed.

The crises had several dimensions:

Every semester each of us pays 1% of our tuition to the Student Activities Fee, or SAF. That money is dispensed in a manner prescribed by the constitution. Just over half of it goes to the 7 major Secured Allocations Funded Organizations, and just under half goes to the Student Union Government - 80% of which is given to the allocations-board to distribute among the over 200 chartered student groups on campus. That money as well as the 20% allocated to the Executive Office and Student Senate is managed by the Student Union.

As the stewards of public money intended for your use, we have a sacred responsibility to manage these funds responsibly. That requires, among other things, an accounting system that can withstand the most professional of scrutiny, that can tell us to the penny where all of your money was spent, and why.

When the year began, we had nothing even close. Unaccounted withdrawals were appearing on the books, expenditures went unrecorded, tracking our checks was next to impossible. This was the first layer of the crises.

The second layer was a both a problem and a blessing. For years, our system has had no procedure for handling roll over moneys at the end of the academic year. Roll over funds come from money that is either not allocated, is allocated but not claimed, or claimed but not cashed. At the end of the school year it is left sitting in Union accounts, with no constitutional provision for how to handle it. Traditionally, it has been ignored, and little by little has accumulated from insignificant numbers to a quite substantial total.

When I entered office and looked at the figures, I was astounded to see that number had reached $118 thousand dollars. So the second layer of the crises was that we had
$118 dollars sitting in a bank account, not knowing which previous years it came from, or exactly what to do with it.

The third layer was that the problem of sloppy accounting and vague fiscal policy did not end with the Student Union government, but upon investigation seemed potentially pervasive throughout the SAF groups and the Chartered Organizations.

In sum, we were defaulting on our responsibilities as stewards of the public funds. The administration was alarmed. Students deserved better. Something had to be done.

Heres what we did.

Working with the administration, we froze all the accounts of Student Union Government and commissioned a system wide audit to determine where our money had gone in the previous year.

In the mean time, we routed our check processing through University channels so as to preserve Union autonomy on policy issues, while ensuring the integrity of our financial system.

We required each of the SAF groups to have their accounting system verified before they received this semesters check, to ensure that they could fulfill their constitutional requirement to provide detailed, accurate information about where your money gets spent.

We have completely revamped our accounting system, adopting the industry standard quick books protocol, dramatically enhancing the professionalism and accountability with which we handle your money.

It is important to note that two major SAF groups, WBRS and the Justice, (who between them receive approximately 15% of the SAF) have yet to complete this process, or receive checks for this semester. To be fair, slower than optimal administrative response time is a signigicant reason why this is still the case, but their ability to function this long without a new check raises important questions, questions that we must not desist from investigating next semester.

Thus, I am proud to report to you today that the first layer of our crises, the inadequate accounting procedures, is well in hand.

Our plans for spending the $118,000 surplus had to wait until the audit of last year was complete. Before we could spend the money, we had to know as much as possible about where it came from. This waiting period was something we agreed on with the administration, who had grave concerns about the legal ramifications of so much un accounted money.

We opened our files and turned the audit process over to the administration at the beginning of the year, and I am happy report that as of yesterday, it is finally complete.

While the details have yet to be fully analyzed and all the implications are not yet understood, it is time that we move forward in brainstorming how this money ought to be spent.

My goal for this money is simple:

A democratic process to choose how the money can be best used to directly enhance student life. While it is still too early to make guarantees, I would hope to see proposals on the ballot next semester.

Top on my list of suggestions is that some portion of the money go to support the purchase of a fleet of club vans, to be made available to all clubs on a first come, first serve basis. This is not a new idea. We took surveys on this last semester and found that almost 90% of students either supported or strongly supported the idea, and that 97% of responding clubs said such vans would add significantly to their activities, and allow them to expand the services they provide to their members. The question is funding, and this might be a good start.

Another powerful suggestion is to form a capital contingency fund, which would serve as a resource for clubs looking to boost their capacity with significant one time purchases, and find the Allocations board unable to meet their needs.

The new game room in Usdan may also need some financial supplementation, and this would be a likely source.

I will publicize more information on how and when we can use this money as soon as it becomes available.

The last layer of the crises, the system wide lack of accountability and sound fiscal policy, leads to a discussion of a larger trend within Union Government that is very important to report on and consider.

(VII)

In my mind, the defining hallmark of our Union has always been the wide variety of options available for any kind of extra curricular involvement, and the accessibility of the system for those who wish to start more.

The virtue of this model is that virtually any activity itch, no matter how arcane, can most probably be scratched. We encourage all manner of creativity and self exploration.

As any pre-frosh who toured campus this semester can tell you, we have over 240 clubs here, thats one for every 12.5 students. They span the range of activities from Muggles United For Wizardry to the College Republicans, from Tae Kwon Do to Meditation. Our Debate team is world class, our Ultimate Frisbee team are the regional champions, Our A capala groups are the best in the nation, and our Lion Dance Troup tours the country. We have so much to be proud of, and so much to offer.

The disadvantage of our system is that it is large, opaque, and unwieldy. And it is increasingly active. While the total number of clubs has hovered just above 200 for the last several years, the number applying for funds from A-board has risen from 80 two semesters ago to 130 this time around.

Simultaneously, the quantity of requests has increased dramatically. Two semesters ago the Marathon requests totaled 327,000 and this semester the figure has climbed to 393,000.

Bear in mind that both these request figures, 330, and 390,000 are attempting to draw on only 130,000 in available funds.

Add to this the fact that it is virtually impossible to keep track of the equipment A-board purchases, especially for the smaller clubs, or the actual usage of allocated funds, and we have an issue.

We seek to encourage to maximal flexibility and opportunities for the individual, but we also have no choice but to pursue efficient use of resources, and accountability for public money.

Negotiating this seeming contradiction has emerged as the central challenge of this semester, and will continue to be so in the future.

Last week the Student Senate took a bold step by passing a by-law that requires 200 signatures for chartering a new club. Chartering is distinct from recognizing in that a chartered club can apply to the Allocations Board for funding, and it must not be exclusive nor have an overlapping purpose with an existing club. The vast majority of existing clubs are chartered.

The intention of the Senate was to cut down on the draw from A-board and to encourage club leaders to get the word out about their new organization.

While I respect the spirit behind this initiative I think it places too draconian a barrier at the wrong part of the process. Students who have not yet chartered a club may be easily dissuaded and intimated by this process, which requires almost half as many signatures as a constitutional amendment. I don't want to discourage innovation; I just want to keep it accountable once it has occurred.

I favor stricter accountability for clubs once they have formed, and clarified standards for the allocation process from the A-board.

The vehicle for these changes will also be the vehicle for addressing the third layer of the larger financial crises: a set of constitutional amendments that have been in the works for two semesters now, fulfilling the five year old constitutional mandate to revamp the Unions financial system.

These amendments, among other things, mandate that each club select a financial liaison officer to work with the Union to ensure their funds are used properly and that students can have access to the information they need to ensure their financial house is in order. These liaisons will receive semesterly training, and be better integrated into the total union financial system.

These amendments have been circulated to the Senate and the SAF heads, look for them to be made public, debated, adjusted, and voted on next semester.

(VIII)

The Executive Office launched several new significant initiatives this semester, designed to offer greater services to the students and improved interactions with the Union.

The first is the office of Judicial Advocacy, the creation of Union Advocate Josh Sugarman.

The purpose of this new body is to work with students to inform them of their rights within the University Judicial system, and to be their advocate through out the judicial process.

This effort fills and important gap, as too many students are simply unaware of their rights or responsibilities, as defined in the document of the same name, and the availability of expert peer counseling in this regard is long overdue.

The second is the Club Liaison system, spearheaded by Nate Westheimer, our newly appointed Club Resources Coordinator.

This program consists of over a dozen student volunteers who are trained all aspects of our union that that may prove valuable for a club to know about ? the human, technical, and financial capital that is available to help clubs plan, execute, and publicize great events and services. Some of the resources will come from the Student Union, some from the wider community, but all are targeted to maximize clubs effectiveness in serving the student body.

The Club Liaisons have been selected, and have been in training for several weeks. Next semester they will be contacting every single club on campus to offer a training session, both to share the compilation of resources we have created and to collect information from the clubs about what problems they may be experiencing with Union or University policy.

We will then take this information it, compile it, analyze it, and use the results to create a master advocacy roster for the Student Government.

(IX)

I will now conclude with a few brief previews of some significant new initiatives planned for next year.

First, all of the issues that have been raised so far today require continued attention and vigilance. We must stay active to preserve current victories, and ensure progress in the future.

Next semester we will be launching a series of Town Hall forums, run for and by students, to provide a forum for discussion on the issues that are vital to us all ? from spending the SAF surplus to improving club accountability, the floor will be open to hear your thoughts and feelings on how this Union, your Union, ought to be run.

We will be working to create an Umbrella group for Club Sports. It is my belief that club sports represent the most chronically underserved population in our Union. I think the major contributing factor to this neglect is the lack of a well-organized umbrella group to coalesce and articulate the broad concerns of the club sports community. We hope to form such a group to generate a list of priorities and ensure that they are reliably represented to the administration.

Lastly, in the area that remains closest to my heart as human being, there are two major upcoming initiatives in the realm of social justice.

First, we will move next semester to once and for all end the use of sweatshop labor in the Production of Brandeis Apparel. This will require joining the Workers Rights Consortium - an alliance of hundreds of colleges and Universities and factory inspectors the world over. As a WRC member, Brandeis would sign a code of conduct, promising not to purchase our apparel from contractors that produce their clothes under abusive conditions.

Any of you were lucky enough to hear the presentation by the Bangladeshi sweatshop workers this semester surely feel as I do, that to have the Brandeis name sewn onto sweatshops by the hands of 14 year old girls who are forced to work 16 hour days, are regularly kicked and beaten and thrown against the wall until they are bloody and bruised, and find their life spans reduced by decades from the endless abuse and utter poverty in which they are forced to live.

The WRC actually inspects factories around the world to ensure this kind of abuse is not practiced there, and this information allows us to maintain a sweat-free supply chain. This may not be an easy decision for the University to make, so we must begin to generate the momentum for the change now.

Lastly the Endowment Committee, under the leadership of Social Justice Committee co-chair Estzer Lengyel, and Representative to the Board of Trustees, Jonathan Sclarsic, will continue its efforts to ensure that a portion of our endowment is invested in socially responsible mutual funds. This committee has been making steady progress all semester, and has scheduled a meeting with the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees for this Spring. This meeting will provide the best opportunity to see these changes come to pass.

(X)

Friends, the state of our Union is strong. It is diverse, democratic, healthy and vibrant. But like all things so intricate and important, it needs constant vigilance and constant participation to remain so.

All of what I have said and all that is to come is offered in the spirit of partnership. Democracies, and communities, are two-way streets. I urge you to look for ways to get involved and use your talents and creativity to enhance the experience of your fellow Brandeis.

That means helping to bring our theater to life by your performance in a show just as much as it means running for senate or joining one of the Senate or University Committees.

It means searching yourself for your vision of the Brandeis you want to live in, a and then taking at least one definitive step to bring that vision closer to reality.

However you choose to get involved, it is only through partnership and participation from all of you that can we expect our fondest aspirations for our Union and our University to be made real.

But with that participation, we can expect nothing less.

Thank you for your time, good night.

Addendum

Note: These recognitions of important work done by members of the Student Union Government were regretfully absent from the original delivery of the speech but are of great significance to Union and thus are included here.

(i)

The phenomenal work mentioned above relating to the resurrection of Union Finances is all directly attributable to Union Treasurer Josh Brandfon. After joining the team later than usual in a mid-term election, Josh has single-handedly redesigned the entire Union Financial system and raised us to a level of professionalism never before enjoyed in our Union. His hundreds of hours of above and beyond contributions are deeply appreciated, not only by his fellow Union Officers, but by the hundreds of clubs who rely upon us to keep the flow of SAF money reliable and accountable.

The Union Newsletter was revitalized this semester, thanks to the work of Union Communications Director Marci Surkes. The Shake has emerged as a fantastic resource for students to learn what their representatives are doing on their behalf, and respond. This kind of communication is a cornerstone of democracy, and we are very proud that is flourishing once again.

Marci has also organized a weekly Meet the Press event on WBRS where senators and Executive Office members have had the chance to face questions and talk publicly about the Union Government and their role in it, again advancing the cause of democracy considerably. Marcis work has also greatly enhanced the communication between the Student Union Government and on campus media, by providing regular press releases for the first time to keep the public informed of our activities.

Union Secretary Yoselin Bugalo has been instrumental in getting all of Union Government up and running amidst the confusion and complication of opening a new office in a new building. Her work has ensured that clubs continue to get access to the services they deserve and require, and that all the Union Government officials have the space and resources they need to serve the students interests. From managing the announcement e-mail system to overseeing the club rechartering process, from keeping the office supplies functional and stocked to successfully administering an unprecedented number of general and special elections Yoselin has made Union Government happen. Without her heroic performance, the stress of the new environment and an increasingly complex system may have crippled us. With her efforts, we have excelled.

(ii)

The Allocations Board, under the leadership of Noah Branman, also deserves high recognition for their monumental efforts to complete next semester's marathon, a task that required sifting through an unprecedented number of requests, but that was unquestionably vital to successful operation of our union next semester.

I know they will be a willing and vital partner in the reform work that is yet to come.

(iii)

The Union Senate, under the excellent leadership of Executive Senator Kate Vogel and Union Vice President Alex Lo, has also been extremely active this semester working on your behalf. The numerous projects they have undertaken, both as individuals and as a body, have stretched the gambit from social justice to facilities, from academics to dining. They have been tireless in their pursuit of a better Union for us all.

One outstanding example of this advocacy is the recent victory regarding study abroad applications. This year 38 students, mostly Juniors, were denied permission to receive credit for their study abroad program by the University. Many of them had already been accepted to their programs overseas, and had been building up this experience for months if not years.

The denials were based on a new, more rigorous use of an evaluation criteria, which required a much more thorough examination of the academic component of the application. The problem with this new approach is that it was never adequately communicated to either the student applicants or their faculty advisors. Thus all the applications were compiled with an understanding of the old standard, but evaluated under the new standard.

Recognizing the injustice created by this oversight, members of the Student Union Government, including Senators Nalani Bajaj, Ken Gantz, Nicole Karelbach, and Alyssa Krop and Representative to the Board of Trustees Ebone Bishop, teamed up with student leaders, including Samantha Joseph, Class of 2004, to campaign for the full reversal of the decision. Racing against the clock this group began an intensive period of lobbying various different administrators, collecting petition signatures and generally raising awareness of the issue to a feverish pitch, the student advocates were successful - 100% of the denied applicants were either immediately accepted or allowed to reapply with a clarified understanding of the new standards.

This tremendous victory was a shining example of what your Senate can do for you, especially when empowered by the partnership of an active student body.

Another outstanding example of your Senate at work for you was the phenomenal success of the midnight buffet, which brought 1,500 students to this very space just two nights ago to enjoy some munchies and relieve the stress of finals season. The Senate Services Committee, headed by Michael Corwin and Erica Lemansky, deserve recognition for their remarkable accomplishment.

Senator Greg Leppo has put in a heroic effort to keep updated elections information on-line, thus keeping the people one critical step closer to their democratic institutions.

The other Standing Senate Committee, the Social Justice Committee, under the leadership of Nicole Karlebach and Estzer Lengyel, has worked hard this semester on putting together a comprehensive Brandeis Labor campaign to improve labor standards on campus. Expect to hear more from this effort next semester.

Under the leadership of Senators Kate Vogel, Colin Rowan Andrei Khots, and Aziz Nekoukar the Senate has begun the process of systemically reinventing the way it does business. They have formed a Ways and Means Committee to evaluate all of their operating procedures, as well as the larger operation of the Union itself. The new signature requirement by-law is one result, but it is only the first step in what will be a significant and going effort to make our Union function better.

Another result of this process is in the budget we passed for next semester. For the first time, each senator has their own discretionary budget, to encourage individual initiative on the part of senators and to reduce the time drain on the body that comes from money requests made to the Senate at large.

I think this is an excellent step towards progress, and I look forward to partnering with them to continue on this path of much needed reform.