Student Activities
Student SenateThe Student Senate of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is the official representative and voice of the undergraduate student body.
Our mission is to empower students, enhance the quality of life on campus, and increase communication between students and administration, faculty, and staff. The Student Senate will represent the student body by abiding by the core Lasallian principles: the Student Senate will be of service to others, it will respect all, it will advocate for quality education, and it will model sincere inclusivity.
Executive Board Members

Maggie Newhouse
President

Maddi Clark
Vice President of Administrative Affairs

Sam Frick
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Jack Campion
Vice President of Public Affairs

Paige Morris
Vice President of Student Affairs

Joel Tranel
Vice President of Financial Affairs

Leah Parker
Vice President of Multicultural Affairs

Nick Kiemel
Vice President of Campus Affairs

Noah Kiemel
Vice President of Media and Communications
Class Officers
Teagan Phillips
Sophomore Class Officer

Melanie Winzenburg
Sophomore Class Officer

Emma Mara
Junior Class Officer
Caden Rodning
Junior Class Officer
Abby Nosbisch
Senior Class Officer
Makenna Vickery
Senior Class Officer
Hall Representatives 2022-2023
Gabe Potyk
Brother Leopold/Residencia Santiago Miller Representative
Alison French
Saint Yon’s/Gilmore/Hillside Representative
Sidney Polzin
Saint Yon’s/Gilmore/Hillside Representative

Emma Gerdes
Brother William/Bishops/Saint Joseph’s Representative
Mallory Von Tersch
Skemp/Heffron/Lasalle Representative
At-Large Representatives

Connor Close
At-Large Representative
Dayanara Saldarriaga
At-Large Representative
IHM Representative and International Student Representative
Jacob Fiala
IHM Representative
Mario Rodriguez Gomez
International Student Representative
Testimonials
Resolutions
Club Budget Info
- All club budgets shall be allocated in the spring semester for the following academic year.
- Clubs are required to attend the spring semester all-club budget information meeting, and if a club does not have one of its representatives attend the meeting, the respective club’s budget will be reduced by 10% of the requested amount.
- All club budgets must be submitted to the Student Senate Vice President for Financial Affairs no later than the second Tuesday of February of each year by 5:00 p.m. via senate@smumn.edu.
- If a budget request is submitted after this date, the club will only be eligible to receive up to 80% of its requested budget.
- Any request received after March 1 at 5:00 p.m. will not be heard and the club will not be allowed to special request during the next academic year.
- The 20% cut due to late submission can be added to the 10% cut from for missing the spring semester all-club budget information meeting for a total maximum reduction of 30% of the club’s requested budget
- The Student Senate Finance Committee is responsible for recommending a suggested amount for each club budget before bringing the proposed budget to the full Student Senate floor. The full Student Senate must then approve the club’s budget with a two-thirds vote.
- Any Student Senate member may request at any time that an updated club constitution and/or any other relevant club materials be given to the Student
Senate. - The university’s normal accounting system is used for all budgeted Student Activity Fee monies.
- Budget funding from the Student Activities Fee monies is contingent on having a nonnegative budget balance in the Student Senate budget at the end of the second semester.
- Clubs can only request Inventoriable Items during the budget process.
- Clubs requesting Inventoriable Items in their budget must also attach a proposal for the intended method and location of storage for the Inventoriable Items.
- The Student Senate Finance Committee reserves the right to cut all club budgets to keep the overall money allocated for the coming academic year stay under the budgeted amount.
Senate Member Roles
- President: Presides over all senate meetings, writes agendas, appoints members to committees, non-voting member with full floor privileges, member of MAPCS, attends MAPCS meetings, schedules executive board meetings, creates a strong student senate presence within campus as a whole.
- VP of Academic Affairs: ensures student representation on all academic committees that seek a student opinion, serves on the Integratus Assessment Committee, the Education Standards Committee, and the Curriculum Committee, meets with the Dean of students regularly, serves as a liaison between the Student Success Center and the Student Senate.
- VP of Financial Affairs: responsible for budgeting and oversight of the funds derived from the student activity fee, chairs the Student Senate Finance
Committee, makes timely reports on the financial situation of the student activities fee to the President for the Student Senate. - VP of Public Affairs: engages the undergraduate student body on the Winona Campus and the Student Senate in local and state politics, is the primary liaison between the University’s Winona Campus and MAPCS, serves as a member of the MAPCS Advisory Board and is required to attend all MAPCS meetings, the liaison between the Student Senate and the Admissions Office and Alumni Office of the university, makes the Winona Campus aware of
community events occurring in Winona County, serves as co-chair of the Student Senate Public Relations Committee, Facilities Committee, and Ethics Committee. - VP of Student Affairs: works with departments and administration on issues regarding student affairs, addresses concerns dealing with the Wellness
Center, residence life, student life, student activities, intramurals, food service, and the bookstore, co-chairs the Student Senate Student Life
Committee, assists all interested clubs in becoming a Student Senate recognized organization. - VP of Campus Affairs: Works with departments and administration on issues regarding campus affairs, sits on the Winona Campus Safety Committee, sits on the University Facilities Committee, addresses concerns dealing with maintenance, campus safety and parking on campus, will co-chair the Student Senate Facilities committee, and oversee’s the process of Student Senate capital improvements.
- VP of Media and Communications: the chief graphic designer of the Student Senate, responsible for public relations issues, elections, and advertising. Creates, updates, and manages the Student Senate social media and website presence. The liaison between theStudent Senate and the Marketing and Communications Office of the university. The liaison between the Student Senate and the IT Helpdesk of the university. Coordinates the Student Senate
elections in conjunction with the President of the Student Senate. Co-chair the Student Senate Public Relations Committee. - VP of Multicultural Affairs: be the student chair of the Solidarity Council which is responsible for representing and advocating for diversity and diversity
initiatives on the Winona Campus including but not limited to diversity related clubs, International Student Center, and the Study Abroad office. Liaison between the Student Senate and the First Generation Initiative of the university. Liaison between the Student Senate and the International Center of the university. Liaison between the Student Senate and the Study Abroad Office of the university. - VP of Administrative Affairs: Records and submit the minutes of each session of the Student Senate to the advisor and the Student Senate President for publication. Is responsible for all Student Senate documents. Records Senator absences from a session of the Student Senate. Co-chairs the Student Senate Ethics Committee.
Class Officers:Advocates and fundraises for their graduating class, has voting privileges on the Senate Floor and is a member of a Student Senate Committee.
Hall Representatives: Advocates for their residence hall/area, has voting privileges on the Senate Floor and is a member of a Student Senate Committee.
At-Large Representative: Advocates all the whole student body including commuter students, has voting privileges on the Senate Floor and is a member of a Student Senate Committee.
IHM Representative: Advocates for the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary students, has voting privileges on the Senate Floor and is a member of a Student Senate Committee.
International Student Representative: Advocates for the international students, has voting privileges on the Senate Floor and is a member of a Student Senate Committee.
Commitments:
- Weekly: Senate Meetings Tuesday Nights at 7 PM in Salvi Hall
- Monthly: Potentially 1-3 meetings for your senate committee