The 2021-2022 Student Senate Eboard is on track to making this first back-to-normal school year the best and safest it can be. With Anuja Badeti as President, Mariam Sharobim as Vice President of Administrations, Mark Nashed as Vice President of Finance, Lauren Azer as Vice President of Student Affairs, Lara Rios as Director of Student Organizations and Michael Schober as Director of Public Relations, the group has been planning various projects following elections last semester.
As of now, there are a few projects that are well under way and close to being done: building a fire pit on the green as well as installing outdoor charging planters and benches with solar panels are two of these. Additionally, there has been construction going on around campus such as two new rooms in Weston Hall, upgraded walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, lighting and more in the GITC renovations and a new electrical engineering lab room.
Student Senate has also been working closely with student organizations to ensure that clubs remain active for students to participate and enjoy safely. If certain clubs had to slow down or stop their activities during the pandemic, the Eboard has made sure to revive them. The Homecoming concert is also a larger event that has required lots of planning and safety measures to be taken into consideration.
Due to the timeline of club financing, taking care of the clubs as well as the Homecoming concert was high on the Senate’s list of priorities. Right below that is curating in-person events, as one of its biggest goals is returning to and bringing back the face-to-face aspects of college life that most students have missed out on in the past year and a half. The group would like to push for more activities taking place outside as well as equipment provided to encourage safer hangouts indoors and outdoors.
Furthermore, Student Senate has plans to collaborate with various clubs for school-wide events, incorporating a strong sense of community and inclusivity among all students. This objective is also reflected in potentially creating new areas around campus for students to gather. Just as it was done with Weston Hall’s new rooms, the Senate hopes to renovate and modernize lecture halls as well as prospective student gathering areas to improve the campus aesthetic.
According to the Eboard, one of the most difficult parts of planning and executing ideas so far is creating concrete in-person plans while still being accommodating to potential changes due to COVID-19. It’s difficult to put money into different events without the guarantee that they will surely happen, especially considering the Delta variant. “This fall semester still has many uncertain factors that can and will impact any goals and plans of action,” Student Senate acknowledged. “However, thanks to the help of a strong and persistent administration and the Office of Student Life’s constant support, we are optimistic that through everyone’s efforts, the coming semester will restore NJIT back to its true vibrance.”
