The Senate convened for its weekly meeting on Sunday night, discussing intersectional clubs; the Senate’s role in determining which clubs are granted probationary status and chartering; and the obligation of senators to reflect on the diversity of their constituents.

Student Union Vice President and President-elect Hannah Brown ’19 reminded the Senate of an upcoming open forum concerning student life, which will be held Wednesday.

Services and Outreach Committee Chair Aaron Finkel ’20 reported that the Bunny Shuttles to Logan Airport and South Station are not selling well, and implored senators to tell their friends about the shuttles.

Dining Committee Chair Jonathan Chen ’20 announced that, following meetings with Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray concerning mandatory meal plans, he had received word from Gray that there would be no changes to meal plans in the upcoming academic year. According to Chen, Gray stated that meal plans needed to be mandatory for financial reasons. Chen stated that he would reach out to University financial officers about potential solutions.

Campus Operations Working Group Chair Shaquan McDowell ’18 reported that he had been speaking with Gray about the committee’s initiative to put grip tape on the Rabb Steps, and stated that Gray had worries about potential damage to the steps. McDowell countered that the committee had done research on the tape and had concluded that it would not be damaging to the steps.

Club Support Committee Chair Tal Richtman ’20 announced that he had created a document detailing 10 common misperceptions about the new club support system and elaborated on the document’s contents. He started by stating that every system has its imperfections, then attempted to clear up any confusion about the system and advocated in its favor. Referencing past Senate discussions about potentially denying clubs probationary status or chartering on the basis of funding, Rosenthal Quad Senator Elizabeth Dabanka ’20 questioned the Senate’s role in deciding club chartering based on funding, stating that this is the role of the Allocations Board.

Non-Senate Club Support Committee Chair Geraldine Bogard ’20 came to the Senate to ask permission for the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students to present to the Senate for probationary status. The committee had voted not to allow the club to present to the Senate, and Richtman recommended that MAPS present not as a club, but as a coalition concerned about existing institutional injustices against minority pre-health students. 

Bogard discussed the balance between intersectionality and individual cultural identities needing a space on campus. McDowell questioned why the Senate would not allow the club to present, stating that it was not the job of the Senate to determine which intersectionalities are “valid.” McDowell added that the club’s demographics were not represented on the Club Support Committee, and declared that if the Senate were to turn away a club addressing an injustice on campus, senators should question their ability to represent all of their constituents. 

The Senate decided to discuss MAPS at its next meeting.

The Senate had a lengthy conversation about whether to reconsider its vote on the Jewish Feminist Association of Brandeis’ status. North Quad Senator Josh Hoffman ’21 told the Senate that many female senators — who may have better understood the club and may have voted in favor of granting the club probationary status — were absent and that this vote would have the same problems of the previous one. Hoffman added that should the Senate not grant JFAB probationary status, he would propose dechartering other established intersectional clubs with the same issues that led to JFAB not being granted probationary status with the previous vote. 

Richtman addressed the members of JFAB, telling them that it was their choice whether or not to present to the Senate. The Senate conducted a straw poll, and the majority of Senators felt ready to hear the group’s presentation. However, the club opted to present at the next Senate meeting.

Village Quad Senator Richard Kisack ’19 mentioned that missing in the Senate’s conversation was a universally agreed-upon definition of intersectionality. Kisack stated that no one had explained the meaning of intersectionality, and desired that all senators concur on the term’s definition.


—Emily Blumenthal