Hello all! As you may have noticed, the Senate site looks pretty different! GTS is working with Primacy to improve the Gustavus website. They recently reworked the user interface of the blog system, which is why it looks like it currently does. Personally, and in addition to opinions from members of Senate Cabinet, I think the blog system could still use a lot of work. In absence of the page menu, you can still search for Senate pages as long as you know the page names. Hopefully we’ll see future changes that continue to improve the site!
Additionally, Student Senate recently passed a resolution containing stances on AI usage on campus. This resolution was a collaborative effort between students and relevant professors, and is a first step in addressing how we approach AI ethically moving forward. You can view the document here!
Furthermore, we are currently working jointly with the Environmental Sustainability committee to open an electronics recycling program for students, facilitated by GTS and PCs for People. This program will be open year-round and will help contribute to best practices on campus.
Lastly, you may have seen a survey regarding the potential of free Canva Pro access for all students. This initiative was started to help students and organizations make better materials for classes and clubs, acknowledging that not everyone has the time to learn more complex but free software (Krita my beloved). Many orgs on campus already use Canva, so access to additional resources would be quite helpful. Out of over 300 responses, this survey gave us overwhelming reason to move forward with the initiative. To clarify, this initiative will NOT raise the student Technology Fee. It is currently planned to be co-funded between GTS and the Marketing Office. I hope to see that implemented soon!
