Student Senate passed a resolution adjusting its required quorum and approved a new chair of the Gender Issues committee during its Wednesday meeting.
An assembly's quorum is the minimum number of members that must be present for the body to conduct business.
Previously, Student Senate required three-fourths of its members, or 23 senators, to be in attendance to conduct the meeting. The new resolution mandates that only three-fifths of its members, or 18 senators, must be present.
Ben Noe, Oversight committee chair, said if Senate does not reach quorum, senators can remain at the meeting and hear any guest speakers but the meeting will not be official.
"This way, if there's a large event going on with a large number of senators, such as all the business students, we can still have a reasonable discussion," Noe said.
He said this resolution does not relax Senate's strict attendance policy.
"You are all still required to come to Senate meetings, but now we can still have a discussion within Senate without being [impeded] by quorum," he said.
Most importantly, senators are not able to vote on resolutions or other issues if quorum is not reached.
Student Senate also approved Pasquerilla East senator Katie Rose as the new chair for the Gender Issues Committee.
The student government officers, as well as the previous Gender Issues chair, recommended Rose for the position because of her past experience.
"I volunteer off campus with the Rape Crisis Center as an advocate for the fight against sexual violence," Rose said.
Rose has been volunteering at the Center for approximately a year and is looking forward to being chair of the Gender Issues committee.
"I've never been more excited in my entire life," she said.
