The Student Senate met at 6:02 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 13 in the Dakota Ballroom of Davies Student Center. It was an eventful meeting, with a presentation on the new Science and Health Science Building, and two bills introduced. 

The evening began with a presentation by Mike Carney, the interim assistant chancellor for strategic partnerships and program development, centered on the new building, with renderings of the 5-story, $340 million structure on display. 

There will be a large lecture hall, similar to Phillips 007, and one other traditional classroom, every other space will be labs. The building is large and open, with collaborative student spaces, overlooking the river. 

The idea Carney kept reinforcing was “science on display,” and it is key to the design of the building. The renderings showed open-concept spaces and labs with glass walls that would allow passersby to watch the events. 

The building also puts a focus on collaboration between departments. The departments will be mixed between the floors, to allow for interdisciplinary work. With the biology department on four different floors and chemistry on three, this will allow for collaboration on a large scale. 

The senators were impressed by the report, according to President Brett Farmer.  

“It’s long overdue, what we are doing (when compared to) every other UW school, we compare with Madison when researching,” Farmer said. 

The building as of right now, is set to open in the fall semester of 2027, after most current students will have graduated. 

The senate then moved into Bill 67-B-3: Adopting the 2024-2025 Organized Activity Budget, with Finance Commission Director Ben Johnson detailing the plan. He explained that with the current state of the university, there were cuts that had to be made. 

In the end, most organizations ended up within 90% of what they asked for, with the outlier being The Spectator. 

The Spectator ended up with 44% of what they asked for. Due to reorganization, the group asked for more than double what they had received in the past, and in the end, they received $3,000 more than the previous year. 

The budget went by with few issues from senators. 

Farmer said, “I’m proud of the work that the Finance Commission put in. The commission is very knowledgeable, they have put in a lot of work.”

Bill 67-B-3 will be voted on during the next meeting. The senate then moved to the final piece on the agenda. 

Senator Kaitlyn Hevrin brought forth a resolution 67-R-6 in support of updating the menu system for UW-Eau Claire dining. With the focus being on allergies and making sure every student has something to eat while on campus. In discussions, senators discussed how crucial this piece of legislation is. 

Concerns over all different forms of dietary restrictions were discussed, whether it be for religious reasons or health reasons. This resolution was essential, as Vice President Sam Consiglio said. 

“One of the top problems (on campus) is dining, but we never see any resolutions,” Consiglio said. 

The resolution passed unanimously and the dining staff are already in meetings to make changes. 

The senate adjourned at 7:33 p.m. and the next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20 in the Dakota Ballroom. 

Leick can be reached at l[email protected].