This week, Student Senate discussed a resolution that would ensure accountability for transportation to school-sponsored events. An event transport liaison, appointed from the Senate’s existing members, would work with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and speak on behalf of the student body. Topics such as the unreliability of the safety shuttle, and the lack of shuttle drivers, would be discussed. This resolution has been temporarily tabled, as it is pending on additional information from DPS, but it seems to have most of the senate’s support. 

Additionally, Student Senate debated the pros and cons of Freshmen Orientation and Extended Orientation. This is the first year Dickinson has done Extended Orientation, and the consensus among freshmen was generally negative. Some specific complaints include that it is required for all freshmen students (even students on the pre-med track, who had other mandatory meetings at the same time), it is during common hour and it does not provide any new information. Many students think that the Extended Orientation topics, such as “Alcohol,” “Anxiety,” and “Healthy Communication,” are redundant. Even though Extended Orientation provides some useful information and resources, it could have been summarized in an email, or even included during the first orientation week––before classes start, and before students have already established daily routines and habits.