2009-2010 Student Senate to meet in EMU Walnut Room
Summer Senate committee voted Wednesday to hold regular Senate meetings all next year in the EMU Walnut Room.
Dean of Students Paul Shang told senators his office had arranged to have the room booked on all but four dates the Senate would need and was looking into whether those dates were placeholders that could be moved. He was careful to state that the room was there if senators wanted it. No one wants to look like they are taking orders from the administration.
Senators quickly voted to move Senate to the Walnut Room.
At the Senate’s last scheduled meeting two weeks ago, Shang offered to book the room. But the Senate did not have a quorum and Summer Senate Chairman Nick Gower told him senators could not agree to do so.
It’s appears Shang went ahead and booked the room anyway, but it seems more like a gesture of goodwill. After the meeting, Shang told someone the move benefitted him too because the EMU Board Room was getting cramped.
Senators and the executive have been discussing the move since the end of spring term and the Walnut Room was always on the list of possibilities. (I wrote about it in this column.)
Located next to the post office in the EMU, it’s hard to find and doesn’t offer any spectacular views or seating. But it’s a big space that can be arranged to hold a lot of people. The stairs and doorways leading to the room are usually locked once the building closes, and Senate can definitely run after hours.
If they can figure out how to not get locked in it will probably be an improvement.
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The lobby to the post office is open until 11:30 which is later than the rest of the EMU (if I’m not mistaken). The Walnut Room is arguably easier to find than the board room which is tucked away on the top floor of the EMU.