The Union Senate voted on Sunday to make the ad hoc Dining Services Committee permanent and to create a new Union position to represent vegetarian and vegan students.

The Dining Services Committee amendment calls for regular student dining polls, a senate liaison to each dining location and an open line of communication between the committee and Dining Services representatives.

This year, under Senator for the Class of 2014 Ricky Rosen, the committee successfully extended the hours of the Provisions on Demand Market and is currently working on addressing hours at Einstein Bros. Bagels.

The Senate also created a "Union Representative of vegetarians, vegans, and other similar diets," which can be appointed by the Union president and must be approved by the Union Senate.

"This Representative is responsible not only for increasing awareness of the Vegan/Vegetarian [students] that are already on campus, but also acting as a liaison between students with special dietary needs and Dining Services," wrote Rosen in an email to the Justice.

"This is a necessary step for Brandeis to take if it hopes to reach the ranks of many other liberal arts schools. I hope the Union representative reaches out to the vegan and vegetarian community to make dining for us the healthy and joyous choice it is outside of Brandeis," wrote vegan Kimi Van Wickle '14 in a message to the Justice, "it's exciting to imagine a Brandeis that welcomes vegetarians and vegans," she added.

—Andrew Wingens