Two student organizations sought chartering and three sought constitution changes at the Oct. 3 meeting of the Union Senate. Five new senators were in attendance as a result of the special elections. Additionally, Vice President Courtney Thrun ’22 gave the senators their committee assignments.

Senator Charlotte Li ’24, chair of the Club Support Committee, introduced each organization, and in some cases presented on behalf of them. The first club to appear before the Senate was Active Minds, the Brandeis chapter of a national organization which encourages students to seek mental health services and educates students and faculty on mental health issues.

Maxx Kipnes ’23, Active Minds president, said that because of COVID-19, the club can no longer host bake sales to raise money, and as a result, requires funding from the school. Kipnes estimated that the club would require roughly between $600 and $800 per semester. The Senate chartered the club by acclamation.

Li, as Club Support Committee Chair, then presented for the Southeast Asia Club, the Brandeis Biochemistry Club and the Japanese Student Association, who were all seeking changes to their constitutions. SEAC needed approval to add the e-board position of  “social justice chair” to their constitution. The Biochemistry Club, in addition to adding a number of e-board positions, wanted to add an anti-racism statement to their constitution. JSA wanted to add to their constitution the option to have two co-presidents rather than a president and vice president.

All three proposals were approved by acclamation.

The president of the Brandeis MAD band, Mattie Doherty ’23, presented the band’s request that the Senate charter them. MAD band, which performs at Brandeis and has performed with other ensembles, is the University’s pep band, Doherty said.

MAD band is under the umbrella of MARIMBA, which is also the parent organization of three other musical organizations on campus and was created in spring 2019. According to Doherty, all of the clubs under the MARIMBA umbrella, including MAD band, share the same constitution, but each seeks its funding individually.

Doherty said that MAD band needs funding for printing sheet music and for potential equipment replacements.

Executive Senator Joseph Coles ’22 said that, in his opinion, MARIMBA should apply to be chartered instead of the clubs under its umbrella. “The way it should work [is] each one has its own e-board and only gets funding from the umbrella,” Coles said. “If MAD band wants to be chartered, then MARIMBA should do it.”

The Senate voted by roll call, with only Senator Asher Brenner ’24 voting in favor of chartering MAD band, and four abstentions. Li said that she will send the band feedback and that they are allowed to return as soon as they are able.

Thrun also told the Senate that she is working on securing a “Turkey Shuttle” for students traveling to New York or New Jersey over the Thanksgiving break.